NAVARRE — At approximately 7:39 p.m., yesterday, deputies with the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the 8400 block of Navarre Beach in reference to the discovery of an unresponsive individual in the gulf. A witness immediately contacted 911. Deputies and Navarre Fire Department arrived on scene, according to the SRSO.
Detectives with the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit were dispatched along with the SRSO Crime Scene Unit. After processing the scene, the State Medical Examiner’s Office transported the deceased to an area hospital, the SRSO said.
The SRSO believes the individual located was the swimmer reported missing from the National Park area the previous day. The deceased was identified as Jay Wiley Evans 65 years of age, from Navarre, according to the report.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
NAVARRE – The Coast Guard is searching for a person in the water near Navarre Beach, today.
Coast Guard Sector Mobile received a report at 6:18 p.m., yesterday, that Jay Wiley Evans, a 64-year-old Caucasian male, had not returned from his daily swim off of Navarre Beach.
Involved in the search are:
- Coast Guard Station Pensacola 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew
- Two Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crews
- Coast Guard Cutter Cobia
- Florida Wildlife Conservation
- Navarre Beach Fire Department
Anyone with information is requested to contact Sector Mobile at (251) 441-6211.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: UPDATE: Navarre swimmer's body found, identified