Man Livestreams Gunfire From Roof During Hurricane Ian, Found Dead

ZOLFO SPRINGS, FL — A Florida man has been found dead six days after he was reported missing as Hurricane Ian swept through southwest Florida. According to police, the man disappeared after he and his brother livestreamed themselves shooting rifles from a rooftop during the storm.

According to the Hardee County Sheriff's Office, the body of Craig Steven Markgraff, 35, of Zolfo Springs, was found Tuesday by a team conducting search and rescue efforts following Hurricane Ian, which made landfall on Sept. 28.

Police said Markgraff had likely been dead for several days when his body was found, and a medical examiner determined he died from drowning.

According to police, Markgraff was last seen the day Ian barreled into Florida's coast as a powerful Category 4 storm. Police said that shortly before 9 p.m. that day, Markgraff and his father called a friend to Markgraff's home on Bronco Drive to help get their trucks unstuck.

Later that evening, police said Markgraff and his brother, Brett, were together at Markgraff's home and were shooting rifles from the roof around 10:30 p.m. According to police, the brothers livestreamed their activities on Facebook.

According to authorities, Markrgraff's father reported leaving Markgraff's home earlier that day, and, as he left, he saw "Craig was holding onto a tree limb with flood waters rising." Markgraff's father said he was unable to reach his son by phone after seeing him, according to police.

Markgraff was reported missing Sept. 29, police said.

According to authorities, rescue efforts in the county were hindered for several days due to the damage caused by Ian. As conditions permitted, teams from Hardee County and other agencies searched near Markgraff's home several times by air and water, authorities said.

Markgraff was identified by comparing tattoo descriptions provided by the family and photos from social media, police said.