VERO BEACH — Authorities have officially and positively identified the body recovered off Jaycee Beach Monday as that of Jonathan Lance Threewitts.
The District 19 Medical Examiner’s Office made the identification, according to the Vero Beach Police Department. The cause of death was ruled drowning.
Threewitts, 17, went missing in the water the evening of March 14 near Jaycee Beach Park, according to Vero Beach Police.
March 16, 11:47 a.m.
VERO BEACH — A body has been found washed ashore near Jaycee Beach.
The body appears to be the missing 17 year old Jonathan Lance Threewitts, according to Vero Beach Police. He went missing in the waters off Jaycee Beach Park on Saturday. The investigation is continuing and may take several days to confirm identification.
Reports from the scene are that the remains of a black male have been recovered, though the body sustained heavy damage and the remains that washed up were not complete.
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — The search for the missing teen swimmer is expected to resume today after having been called off Sunday due to weather conditions, according to authorities.
The Coast Guard called off its portion of the search Sunday, though local authorities have continued searching. The Indian River Fire Rescue Dive team is not expected to search today.
“It’s sad to say, but sometimes there’s no recovery,” said Vero Police Department Cpt. Kevin Martin. This is the third occurrence in recent years.
Sgt. Eric Flowers, spokesman for Indian River County Fire Rescue, said that he anticipates the search for 17-year-old Jonathan Threewitts to resume today. The Sheriff’s Office helicopter is scheduled to patrol the area.
Residents and beach goers have also been keeping watch on the water on beach.
Threewitts went missing in the waters north of Jaycee Beach Park late Saturday afternoon after he and his friends started having difficulty in the water, according to Vero Beach Police.
March 15, 2:50 p.m.
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — The Coast Guard has called off the search for the missing 17-year-old for the day, however Indian River Shores Public Safety is continuing its own search, according to authorities.
March 15, 10:22 a.m.
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — The search for a missing 17-year-old off Jaycee Beach Park has resumed.
Authorities are hoping to locate Jonathan Lance Threewitts, who was reported missing in the ocean Saturday afternoon. The search is now going on east of Caledon Shores Condos.
This article will be updated as more information becomes available.
Posted March 14, 6:21 p.m. / Updated 9 p.m.
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Authorities are searching for a missing teenager at Jaycee Beach Park in Vero Beach.
They are searching for 17-year-old Jonathan Lance Threewitts, according to the Vero Beach Police Department. He is described as being 5 feet 11 inches tall, weighing approximately 180 pounds, and last seen wearing dark colored gym shorts.
The incident occurred around 5 p.m. Saturday, according to Vero Beach Police.
According to what his friends told authorities, they were swimming in the ocean directly behind 4400 A1A just north of Jaycee Park. The current was strong and several of the swimmers began having difficulties.
When they made it to shore they realized that one of the members in there group was missing and immediately called 9-1-1, according to Vero Police.
The United States Coast Guard assisted in the search but has been called off until Sunday morning. Members of the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office and Indian River Fire Rescue are also lending assistance.
This article will be updated when more information is released.
Staff reporter Lisa Zahner contributed to this article.
