On July 25, 2015, 23-year-old Joel Castro Juarez of Burley, Idaho, disappeared in Redfish Lake near Stanley, Idaho, and is presumed to have drowned. Juarez was enjoying a day trip with his family on a rented boat on the lake. At approximately 3:36 p.m., he jumped into the water to retrieve a shoe or a piece of clothing that had fallen overboard. The boat was about 200 yards from Point Campground at the time.
The water in Redfish Lake was extremely cold, and Juarez quickly experienced cold water shock, making it difficult for him to get back to the boat. Two individuals from the boat jumped in to help him, but they too were affected by the cold and struggled to lift him back aboard. They lost their grip on Juarez, and he sank into the deep water and did not resurface. Juarez was not wearing a life jacket. The area where he went under is reported to be between 110 and 150 feet deep.
An extensive search was launched for Juarez, involving the Custer County Marine Deputy and Marine Patrol, as well as Custer County Search and Rescue. The search efforts continued until dark on the day of the incident and resumed the following morning with assistance from Bonneville and Bingham counties. The search utilized volunteers, divers, a water search dog, and a submersible robot. After six days of searching without finding any sign of him, the official search was suspended due to poor weather and the challenging depth of the water.Last Seen: Jul 25, 2015
