Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. Just remember, you do not recognize the bodies in the water. At Lake Tahoe, a scuba diver's body is recovered after 17 yearsThe well-preserved remains of Donald Christopher Windecker are discovered on an underwater shelf. Just beyond the ledge where Windeckers body was found, the lake plunges to a depth of 1,645 feet. 2023 www.dispatch.com. They found Donald Christopher Windecker, though. It was then recovered by sheriffs officials with the use of a remote-operated submersible vehicle July 27. The name of Donald Christopher Windecker was released Monday by the El Dorado County sheriff's office. Accompanied by a friend, he set out for a dive on July 10, 1994, and never returned.By Bob Pool, Los Angeles TimesAugust 9, 2011Authorities at Lake Tahoe on Monday solved the mystery of a scuba diver who disappeared 17 years ago in the mountain lake's deep, frigid waters.The well-preserved body of Donald Christopher Windecker was discovered July 23 on an underwater shelf, 265 feet below the surface. he said. Donald Christopher Windecker. Antioch police seek help to ID woman who allegedly fired gun inside store, swiped liquor, Maxwells appeals arguments mirror earlier claims, Shes looking to get smoked; Messages reveal aggressive threats from suspect on morning of San Carlos beheading, Antioch council ends remote-meeting options for members and the public. Edited from the Snopes forum: "My whole life, I have heard rumors that there are a lot of human bodies that have been dumped in Lake Tahoe. (via Los Angeles Times) At the time of his disappearance, Windecker was a 44-year-old. Best Match Powered by Whitepages Premium AGE 20s Chris Windecker Wilmington, DE Aliases Christopher Mark Windecker Christophe Mark Windecker View Full Report Addresses Foxhill Ln, Wilmington, DE No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. (via Los Angeles Times) Most Popular; From NewsFeed Accompanied by a friend, Windecker planned to swim to a depth of about 100 feet. Dental records were used to make positive identification. South lake tahoe local here! Press J to jump to the feed. Select the best result to find their address, phone number, relatives, and public records. Harriette Cole: I don't want the neighbor's kids at my house, Dear Abby: My wife said she doesn't like it, but it's part of my life, Ask Amy: I feel guilty for not speaking up about my co-worker's activities, Ask Amy: I'm your cabin housekeeper, and you apparently have no idea what I do. From a pathological standpoint its pretty incredible, he said. You learn something new every day; what did you learn today? Submit interesting and specific facts about something that you just found out here. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. The scuba gear bore a certification from 1994, sheriffs officials said. Mr Windecker, who was 44 when he died, was a planner for the city of Reno. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. A remote-controlled mini-submarine with a robotic claw raised the remains July 27. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. Police reports say his partner reported Windecker appeared to have problems with his equipment and began to sink while the two were surfacing. Dear Abby: Why do they imply my husband is a freak? Windecker's whole body was still in his wetsuit and boots when he was found, thus providing more evidence for how long bodies can be preserved down there. Donald Christopher Windecker's body was recovered and identified this month 17 years after the Reno city planner died in a Tahoe diving accident. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. A person who says he was born in Carson City and lived there his whole life writes, regarding the mob dumping bodies, "My grandparents lived in Tahoe for 30+ years, and Grandma would always say that back in Tahoe's hey day when the Rat Pack was running around there, the mafia they were connected to would do the same things to people they wanted to 'get rid of.'". A system error has occurred. Jim Byers told Reuters. Officials delayed releasing Windeckers name until dental records confirmed his identity. They become inactive. 772 comments Sgt. The body of a scuba diver recovered from Lake Tahoe has been identified as a man who disappeared 17 years ago. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. Learn more about merges. Failed to delete memorial. The World is a public radio program that crosses borders and time zones to bring home the stories that matter. U.S. Yearbooks Name Index, 1890-1979 DonaldWindecker1936 Donald Windecker, born Circa 1936 Donald Windeckerwas born circa 1936. The Taliban silenced him. Windeckers body was clad in a wetsuit and buckled into a weight belt and air tank. Israel beefs up troops after unprecedented settler rampage, Ukrainian refugees in Poland will now be charged to stay in state-funded housing, This Colombian town is dimming its lights to attract more tourists to view the night sky, Kneel and apologize!: 76 years after island-wide massacre, Taiwan continues to commemorate and debate the tragedy. Search above to list available cemeteries. All Marriage & Divorce results for Donald Windecker. Accompanied by a friend, Windecker planned to swim to a depth of about 100 feet. He notes that during Frank Sinatra's time at Tahoe in the early 1960s, he and his associates were scrutinized closely by the authorities, making killings and body disposal risky. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. Windecker's body was discovered in 265 feet of water by a recreational diver in late July off Rubicon Point along Lake Tahoe's west shore. Edit your search or learn more. Windecker's body was still wearing the wetsuit, weight belt and air tank he had on July 10, 1994, when the 44-year-old former city planner from Reno, Nevada went scuba diving in the lake with a friend. El Dorado County Sheriffs Lt. Bryan Golmitz added that there were no signs of trauma. Cold-water crawfish cocaine. cemeteries found in will be saved to your photo volunteer list. No comments have so far been submitted. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. The body of Donald Christopher Windecker was found by a deep diver wedged inside of a rock crevice in Lake Tahoe, near Rubicon Point, on July 24. The body of a scuba diver recovered from Lake Tahoe has been identified as a man who disappeared 17 years ago. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. There is a problem with your email/password. Jeff Rotman Scuba Diver's Body Discovered, 17 Years After His Disappearance. Add to your scrapbook. His friend reported that Windecker was quickly submerging with his respirator out of his mouth, and that he couldnt save him because he was forced to surface when he ran out of air. GREAT NEWS! He always had a positive attitude.". She's a biology professor at the University of Nevada, Reno. Windecker reportedly suffered difficulty with his equipment and began to sink. Days after the July 23 sighting, a remote-controlled mini-submarine with a robotic claw pulled the scuba divers body from the underwater shelf on the lakes west side. 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When such stories happen, myths about bodies at Lake Tahoe also resurface. You can always change this later in your Account settings. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. Windecker was reported missing in July of 1994 when he was scuba diving in Lake Tahoe with a friend. "Depending on who is telling the story, Cousteau either encountered a Loch Ness-type monster that locals have dubbed "Tahoe Tessie" or came upon a bunch of dead people.Among those said to populate Lake Tahoe's dark depths are Chinese laborers who helped build the railroad across the Sierra Nevada in the 1860s. Windecker was first reported missing in July 1994 when he was scuba diving in Lake Tahoe with a friend, said sheriff's Lt. Bryan Golmitz. Think of a box of copier paper. Christopher Windecker is on Facebook. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). He may have had a heart attack or a stroke or maybe just ran out of air. ", Stephen Drew, retired chief curator for the California State Railroad Museum, says, "I don't believe there is any credence in the rumor you are trying to track down -- in fact, far from it. Mixed-gas scuba divers were exploring cliff walls when they were startled to see Windeckers motionless form, El Dorado County Sheriffs Sgt. 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Tahoe is the second-deepest lake in the U.S., behind Oregon's Crater Lake, which has a maximum depth of 1949 feet. Mixed gas divers can safely descend to about 350 feet without suffering nitrogen narcosis, or rapture of the depths, among other problems. The body of a scuba diver recovered from Lake Tahoe has been identified as Donald Christopher Windecker, who disappeared while diving 17 years ago. Copyright IBTimes 2023. The body of Donald Christopher Windecker was found by a deep diver wedged inside of a rock crevice in Lake Tahoe, near Rubicon Point, on July 24. Were not investigating this as a homicide,Golmitz said. Lake Tahoe is the second deepest lake in the United States and the tenth deepest in the world, with a maximum depth measured at 1,645 feet. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. They often relate to the facts that dead bodies tend not to float there and, because of the cold temperatures, they stay preserved longer. Tales persist that a longtime Tahoe fire chief responded to a drowning call and found the body of a well-preserved Native American girl, fully clothed in a 19th century ceremonial dress, floating in the lake. . you know what, if my mayor had a guy killed, dumped the body in the lake, and introduced non-native crustaceans into it for the express purpose of disposing of bodies while hiding it as a method to increase fishing tourism, by god, he can have this one. Both are repeated in numerous places, but both also appear in one message at Snopes.com, the urban myth checking website. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Farm Heroes Saga, the #4 Game on iTunes. ", Other versions name the filmmaker as Jacques Cousteau, who is reported to have said "the world is not ready" for what is down there or, alternately, "a stop was quickly put on the mission by some powerful people.". On July 10, 1994, Donald Christopher Windecker set out for a dive in Lake Tahoe. "We'll be able to do a thorough autopsy. Hard to tell, but if hundreds of bodies are down there, no one has found them -- despite the huge money-making possibilities from such a historic find. Four more divers remain missing in the same area, which is infamous for swallowing up victims. El Dorado County officials told the Times that Windecker had no close relatives, but Mike Ramos, who once worked with Windecker for the city of Reno, told the Gazette-Journal that Windecker had a wife and two small children, who have since moved out of state: Ramos said that the morning Windecker left to go diving, he left his son a candy bar and note thanking him for being a good boy. Sorry, this post was deleted by the person who originally posted it. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) The body of a scuba diver recovered from Lake Tahoe has been identified as a man who disappeared 17 years ago. His remains are in amazing physical condition, said Sheriffs Sgt. Windecker had died 17 years previously while scuba diving and due to the lake's cold. CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) The body of a scuba diver recovered from Lake Tahoe has been identified as a man who disappeared 17 years ago. or debate this issue live on our message boards. DonaldWindecker Authorities at Lake Tahoe on Monday solved the mystery of a scuba diver who disappeared 17 years ago in the mountain lakes deep, frigid waters. "So the rumor states that not only are there hundreds of people down there all tied together but they are perfectly preserved because of the cold temperatures. All Rights Reserved. Rescue divers attempted to locate him at the time but were unable to do so. I went to high school there and I remember it was commonly accepted that there were still Native Americans and pioneers still preserved in the lake. The surprising condition of the body is attributable to the 35-degree water and the increased pressure at the 265-foot depth, Byers said. Would dismantling Interstate 980 repair damage to Black neighborhoods? Just beyond the ledge where Windeckers body was discovered, the lake plunges to a depth of 1,645 feet. In 2011, Donald Christopher Windecker's body was recovered and identified after dying in a diving accident 17 years ago. 17 years went by before a group of "mixed gas" divers, who can safely dive to about 350 feet, discovered Windecker's body. "Something like that you don't forget too soon.". Try again. Windecker was reported missing in July of 1994 when he was scuba diving in the lake with a friend. Just was out there this past summer visiting and had an amazing lunch at Sunnyside. "It was pretty scary for them," Byers said. Dental records confirmed it was Windecker. His companion tried to help, but began running out of air and had to surface. Windecker was accompanied by a friend at the time of his disappearance, who said Windecker experienced problems with his equipment after the pair began to ascend from a dive. It has swallowed divers before, and some remain missing. CARSON CITY, Nev. The body of a scuba diver recovered from Lake Tahoe has been identified as a man who disappeared 17 years ago. Perhaps it was ducks that moved the kokanee salmon to the rivers there probably are a couple bodies at the bottom of the lake. Edit Search New Search Filters (1) To get better results, add more information such as Birth Info, Death Info and Locationeven a guess will help. Global, Find a Grave Index for Burials at Sea and other Select Burial Locations, 1300s-Current. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. On July 10, 1994, Donald Christopher Windecker set out for a dive in Lake Tahoe. They planned to dive to a depth of 100 feet, but something went wrong. They were wondering, Whats this person doing down here? It doesn't appear in any feeds, and anyone with a direct link to it will see a message like this one. A recent article talked about how fish eggs survived being eaten by ducks and hatched. On Sept 10, 2011 Chris's ashes were returned to Rubicon Point. It's called putrefaction. ' he said. Windecker reportedly experienced difficulty with his equipment and began to sink. Some say his grandson, Philippe Cousteau Jr., visited there, but only for a 2002 speaking engagement. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. Mixed-gas scuba divers can descend much deeper than conventional scuba divers without suffering nitrogen narcosis and other problems. In cold water, the lower temperatures make them relatively inactive. "In warm water, the bacteria will still work just fine, so gases will build up and bodies will float. U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-current. Authorities at Lake Tahoe have identified the remains of a scuba diver who disappeared in the lake's waters 17 years ago. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. Two points apply for our purposes: Bodies in Tahoe tend not to float but they do not stay preserved and are eventually broken down by their own bacteria as well as by marine organisms. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. he asked. The divers went down to explore cliff walls, but found a person instead. Donaldlived in 1951, at address, Arkansas. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Golmitz says its light shines about two to three feet wide. Exploring cliff walls when they were wondering, Whats this person doing down here deeper than conventional scuba can. 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