As a professional K9 search and rescue handler with over a decade of experience in high-profile, multi-agency operations, I deployed with my HRD (human remains detection) dog to assist in the search for Gary Jones on Lake Oconee in February 2025.
Gary Jones, a Westminster School track coach, and his fiancée Joycelyn Nicole Wilson, a Spelman College instructor, went missing February 8 while celebrating his 50th birthday on the water. Cellphone data and cameras traced Gary driving from Cobb County to Hogansville to pick up his boat at 11:27 a.m., stopping at a Burger King in Palmetto, then arriving at Lake Oconee by 3:37 p.m. Their small fishing boat was later spotted circling unmanned near the dam around 5:24 p.m.—engine running, a celebratory cookie untouched. Joycelyn’s body was recovered the next day, February 9.
By February 16, the effort had shifted to recovery. I boarded boats with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, Georgia DNR game wardens, The Emergency Dive Response Team, and local fisherman to search the large, cold, densely forested lake. Darwin and Kane, my K9’s, trained on land and water scenarios, worked from boats, covering high-probability zones near the initial sighting of Gary’s boat.
The search was defeating: variable depths, a vast grid, and winds that continually changed directions, on top of a literal underwater forest. in the search area. Every change in behavior helped narrow the focus amid emotional urgency to bring closure to Gary’s family, students, and community.
Speaking of community, the community response from The Westminster School was astounding. Parents, students, and teachers turned out in mass to assist with the search. It was evident that Gary was both a highly respected and loved member of that community.
Gary was returned to his family on March 9, 2025, nearly a month after his disappearance. Investigations later confirmed both deaths as accidental drowning.
Cases like this underscore the critical role of highly trained, water-certified HRD K9s—detecting what technology alone often misses—and the importance of rigorous training in scent theory, water protocols, and law enforcement coordination. Our volunteer teams stand ready to support agencies whenever needed.
