UPDATED 1:17 P.M. 7/10/23
PEORIA COUNTY, Ill. – Two people are dead after Peoria County’s sheriff says they both drowned, likely while fishing at the same lake.
Sheriff Chris Watkins says deputies were called to a lake off North Eden Road in rural Elmwood around 3:15 Sunday afternoon, after a boat was found capsized. Lee Carter, 67, from Peoria was found in the lake and pronounced dead.
Watkins says they learned during the investigation a second man may have been fishing with Lee, and had been reported missing Saturday night with police.
Crews went back to the lake Sunday morning, found the body of Peoria resident Michael Whitaker, 67, in the lake, and pronounced him dead.
Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood says the cause of death for both men was drowning and determined to be accidental.
No foul play is suspected.
