MauryTHINKS

The body of the man who swam into the Duck River April 22 was found by fishermen Saturday floating in the water.

The man was identified as Billy Ray Brooks, the same person authorities received a missing person’s report for on April 24, according to Columbia Deputy Fire Chief Steve Cross.

After more than a week in the river, Brooks’ body was spotted by fishermen near the Industrial Park Bridge about 2 p.m., nearly 4 miles from the Nashville Highway Bridge where he was last seen 14 days ago, Director of Maury Rural Fire and Rescue Mark Gandee said.

Saturday, emergency personnel from six area agencies responded at Chickasaw Trace Park to retrieve the body and send it to the medical examiner’s office in Nashville, closing the book on the more than week-long search.

Brooks’ sister Carol Eneks said she was at the river today when her brother’s body was retrieved by authorities.

For the past two weeks, Eneks had been on a desperate search for her brother after she heard the description of the missing man.

She said she thought it could be Billy Ray, who had been living on the streets of Columbia for months, struggling with alcoholism and diabetes.

Click here to read the FULL STORY from the Columbia Daily Herald