Missing Kayaker's Body Found At Lake Lanier

CUMMING, GA — The body of a missing kayaker at Lake Lanier has been positively identified, the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office said Monday.

The body of Cumming resident Dustin Valencia was recovered Friday afternoon from the lake, authorities said.

Valencia disappeared Wednesday, when someone found his kayak and paddle and reported it to authorities. At the time, Valencia remained missing.

The kayak was found 51 feet deep in water near Little Ridge Park, ANF reported.

Authorities say they began searching the area, and Valencia's body was recovered Friday. A manner and cause of death were not immediately available.

A GoFundMe has raised nearly $80,000 for Valencia's family. According to Anthony James Antonicello, the fundraiser's organizer, Valencia was a husband and father of five children.

"The Valencia family feels your love and strength, and they are deeply grateful for the community that surrounds them. Thank you for standing with them," Antonicello wrote.

The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit is investigating the case.

Valencia's death happened at troubled Lake Lanier, which has historically claimed a number of lives through the years. Multiple nonfatal incidents have occurred at the lake, which travels through Cumming, Buford and Gainesville

A 56-year-old woman died in February at Lake Lanier. At the time, authorities said her death was intentional.

Hall County deputies, in July 2024, said a missing swimmer was safely found at the lake after disappearing from friends.

A man who jumped into Lake Lanier and drowned in July 2023, two days after another man was shocked by electricity and drowned.

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