VERMONT STATE POLICE
***Update 4:10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 26, 2018***
Through investigation, the Vermont State Police is positively identifying the victim in this case as George Ruhe. Following autopsy performed by the Vermont Chief Medical Examiner’s Office, the cause of death has been determined to be an accidental drowning.
***Update 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 25, 2018***
At about 4:30 p.m., crews including the Vermont State Police Dive Team recovered a body from the vicinity of a sailboat moored in Lake Champlain at Point Bay Marina in Charlotte. The body was preliminarily identified as that of George Ruhe. The body will be brought to the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Burlington for an autopsy to confirm identification and determine the cause and manner of death.
***Update 2:40 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 25, 2018***
At about 2 p.m. the crew of a fixed-wing aircraft from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations unit assisting in the search located what appeared to be the missing dinghy in a swampy, shallow area in the south end of Town Farm Bay. The Vermont State Police with help from Point Bay Marina staff recovered the dinghy about 20 minutes later and brought the boat to shore.
The search for Mr. Ruhe is continuing at this time.
WPTZ:Crews recover body of missing man in Lake Champlain
***Update 11:45 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 25, 2018***
As search efforts continue Thursday, Oct. 25, 2018, the Vermont State Police is identifying the missing man as George Ruhe, 67, of Wethersfield, Connecticut, and Brattleboro, Vermont.
Mr. Ruhe was last seen at the Point Bay Marina in Charlotte, Vermont, at about 11 a.m. Sunday, and indicated in a message to a friend that he was rowing at that time. A dinghy used by Mr. Ruhe to reach his sailboat, which is moored at the marina a short distance from shore, also is missing. His vehicle was found Wednesdayparked at the marina. He was reported missing Wednesday afternoon after failing to appear for meetings earlier in the week.
The Vermont State Police Dive Team is working today to locate Mr. Ruhe and the dinghy, including with the use of sonar. The U.S. Coast Guard also is assisting.
The investigation into this incident is continuing, and no further information is available at this time. Anyone with information is asked to call the Vermont State Police in Williston at 802-878-7111.
***Initial news release, 5:40 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2018***
The Vermont State Police is investigating a report of a missing 67-year-old man on Lake Champlain in Charlotte. State police in Williston received a report at about 1:45 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2018, that the individual was winterizing a boat near Thompson’s Point over the weekend, on the lake just off shore, but had not been heard from since. Crews from the Vermont State Police along with the U.S. Coast Guard plan to be on scene overnight and begin active search efforts in the morning. Investigators also are pursuing other information about the missing man’s whereabouts. The identity of the individual is being withheld at this time pending notification of relatives.
More information will be released when it becomes available.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Vermont State Police in Williston at 802-878-7111.
CASE#: 18A104788
RANK/TROOPER FULL NAME:Cpl. Andrew Leise
STATION: VSP Williston
CONTACT#: 802-878-7111
DATE/TIME: 1:45 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2018
INCIDENT LOCATION: Lake Champlain near Thompson’s Point, Charlotte, VT
INCIDENT: Report of missing person on Lake Champlain
VICTIM: George Ruhe
AGE: 67
HOMETOWN: Wethersfield, Connecticut, and Brattleboro, Vermont