The search for a missing kayaker on Lake Lanier came to a heartbreaking end Thursday evening with the discovery of the body of 43-year-old Dustin Valencia, a beloved husband and father who had been reported missing the day before.
Valencia, of Forsyth County, was first reported missing on Wednesday, May 15, after his wife contacted the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office out of concern when he failed to pick up their children from school. According to investigators, Dustin had left their home earlier that day to have his car serviced, returned briefly around 1 p.m., and then headed back out in his black Honda Accord. When he didn’t return by the school pickup time of 3 p.m., his wife began to worry.
Using the “Find My iPhone” app in an attempt to locate her husband, she traced his last known location to an address on Samples Road, but he was nowhere to be found. She then contacted the authorities to file a missing persons report.
A swift search operation was launched. Deputies canvassed the surrounding area and located Valencia’s vehicle parked at Little Ridge Park, near the boat ramp off Lanier Beach South Road—approximately 15 minutes from his home. Evidence at the scene, including personal belongings and the absence of his kayak, led deputies to believe Valencia had gone out onto Lake Lanier in an inflatable kayak.
What followed was an extensive multi-agency search effort that lasted through the night and into Thursday. Resources deployed included the Forsyth County Marine Unit, drone teams, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and the Army Corps of Engineers. Despite difficult conditions, authorities remained determined to bring Valencia home.
On Thursday evening, the search ended in tragedy when his body was recovered from the waters of Lake Lanier, confirming the community’s worst fears.
Throughout the ordeal, friends of the Valencia family remained actively involved—organizing search parties, walking the shoreline, and keeping a vigil near the area. Even as the official search unfolded, many refused to give up hope, continuing to comb the lake and its surroundings out of love and solidarity.
Valencia’s vehicle remained parked at the boat ramp throughout the search, a quiet, solemn reminder of the man who set out on the lake and never returned.