6:45 P.M. FRIDAY UPDATE:
A body was found in Lake Lanier Friday afternoon in the area where a Cumming man disappeared Wednesday. The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office said at the time, however, it had not been positively identified.
12:45 P.M. FRIDAY UPDATE:
The kayak and paddle belonging to a Cumming man who is the object of a search in Lake Lanier have been found. The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) said Friday they were found Wednesday by someone who reported it to the sheriff’s office Thursday night. Dustin Valencia was reported missing Wednesday by his wife who, using a locator app, pinged his last known location in the Little Ridge Park area of the lake.
Searchers from four local, state and federal agencies were continuing their search Friday morning.
EARLIER STORY. POSTED THURSDAY 5:30 P.M.:
FCSO, Forsyth County Fire, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and Army Corps of Engineers are beginning to search the area.
Forsyth County sheriff’s deputies responded to Little Ridge Park late Wednesday after Dustin Valencia, 48, of Cumming was reported missing by his wife.
During a canvas of the area, deputies located his car at the park on Lanier Beach South Road. Due to concerns that he may have gone kayaking, deputies searched unsuccessfully the nearby water and walked surrounding trails.
That’s when a full-blown search of the waters near the park was launched, using drone and marine units and other means.
The search continued until dark and resumed Thursday morning.
Valencia’s kayak is similar to the one in the accompanying photo.