Search For Missing Coach Gary Jones Partially Suspended At GA Lake

PUTNAM COUNTY, GA — The search for Westminster School coach Gary Jones in Lake Oconee has been partially suspended until further notice, Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills said this week.

Sills on Monday said the daily search will be limited to the shoreline and will not include dogs or divers. With Georgia expecting an overnight storm Tuesday, Sills said search dogs could once again be used should the weather improve.

Georgia authorities, including the Department of Natural Resources, have been looking for Jones since he disappeared on Feb. 8 with the late Spelman College instructor Joycelyn Nicole Wilson.

Sills said the search for Jones has spanned a total of 22 days and has included civilian search and rescue organizations, staff and others from Westminster and civilian fishermen.

Additionally, residents of Lake Oconee and Lake Sinclair have voluntarily joined alongside divers and dog handlers from Georgia, Florida and South Carolina, Sills said.

"We have deployed aircraft, all available underwater technological devices and professional divers in our efforts. I cannot remember such an extensive use of government and civilian personnel and resources for an incident such as this on lakes Oconee and Sinclair in the last 40 years," Sills said in a Facebook post.

"Lastly, until I can formulate a more accurate list to identify everyone, please let me express my gratitude to all who have worked tirelessly for the last three weeks in this difficult endeavor. I also want to express thanks to the many people and businesses who graciously brought food and drinks for everyone. It was most welcome and makes me very proud of our community."

Wilson and Jones, both 49-year-olds from Atlanta, disappeared at the lake while celebrating Jones' 50th birthday, 11Alive previously reported. The two were engaged, according to multiple media outlets.

Authorities found Wilson's body the day after her disappearance. She was found with air in her lungs and holding her cellphone, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution previously reported. Jones' shoes were located in the water, the AJC reported.

Georgia authorities have contacted the U.S. Secret Service for assistance in unlocking her cellphone, Fox 5 Atlanta reported.

Sills told the media outlet that he believes Jones remains in the lake, contrary to rumors.

"It's conceivable it could be months before this body surfaces," he told Fox 5.

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Investigators previously told the AJC that Jones and Wilson were possibly en route to a restaurant at the lake and could have been on the small boat for about 90 minutes.

"The circumstances in this case indicate it's not just a simple drowning," Sills said in the report.

The sheriff has not indicated to Patch that foul play is suspected in the disappearance of Jones or the death of Wilson.

Lake Oconee is split between Greene, Morgan, Hancock and Putnam counties.