Body of 45-year-old man recovered at Hubbard Creek Lake after apparent drowning
Update:
Michael Henry Hanlon
The man who was found dead in Hubbard Creek Lake on Wednesday has been identified as Michael Henry Hanlon of Florida.
According to Stephens County Sheriff Kevin Roach, it took law enforcement in Florida a while to track down an emergency contact for Hanlon. It is still unknown why he was in Stephens County, although his contact said that he had mentioned wanting to work for a hotel in Wichita Falls.
Roach said that no vehicle has been found, and officials suspect that he was on foot.
Original story:
By Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan
Local emergency responders recovered the body of an apparent drowning victim at Hubbard Creek Reservoir this evening, Wednesday, Sept. 20.
A witness called 9-1-1 shortly before 5 p.m. and reported seeing a person enter the water on the east side of the lake near the area called Goose Point and not come back out, Stephens County Sheriff Kevin Roach said. Another person at the lake had reportedly seen the man hand-fishing — aka noodling — in the area earlier.
After searching the lake for about an hour in the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife boat, officials located the body and brought him to the Paul Prater Landing boat dock, where Justice of the Peace Steve Spoon pronounced him deceased. Officials located his out-of-state driver license, which identified him as a 45-year-old man, but his name has not been released at this time, pending notification of next of kin.
The cause of death was not immediately determined, and the man’s body has been sent for an autopsy, Roach said, adding that drowning is suspected as the cause.
The Stephens County Sheriff’s Office, Breckenridge Fire Department, Sacred Cross Emergency Medical Service, the Stephens County Constable, the Justice of the Peace, the Texas Game Warden and others responded to the scene.
More details are not available at this time.
Cutline, top photo: Local officials gather around emergency vehicles, including a boat from the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife, at Hubbard Creek Reservoir this evening, Sept. 20, after the body of a man was recovered from the lake earlier. The cause of death is suspected to be drowning but has not been confirmed yet. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Editor’s Note: This story was updated at 1:40 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023.
