MANDEVILLE, La. (WGNO)— The body of the missing Mandeville boater Billy Coile has been recovered, according to the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office.
STPSO Marine Division found the 44-year-old’s body Monday (Jan. 16) afternoon, offshore near Green Point. The sheriff’s office then turned over Coile’s body to the St. Tammany Parish Coroner’s Office to determine the official cause of death.
Coile was first discovered missing on Sunday (Jan.8), after his boat was found floating unoccupied, under the bridges near the 23-mile marker on the Causeway Bridge over Lake Pontchartrain. The owner of the boat says Coile borrowed it to go fishing Saturday (Jan. 7).
We’re told Coile’s body was recovered without a flotation device. Officials continue to investigate the circumstances for
Sheriff Randy Smith offers his condolences to Coile’s family and his sincere appreciation to the STPSO Marine Division, the STPSO Dive Team, Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries, and the countless volunteers who never gave up, searching from daylight to dark and using every resource available, every day for over a week, to bring closure to this family.
Stay updated with the latest news, weather, and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play store and subscribing to the WGNO newsletter.