> At a Glance
> – Fernando Ortiz, 34, vanished Christmas Day on Liberty Hill Road
> – His body was recovered from West Point Lake on January 3
> – No visible trauma; GBI autopsy underway to determine cause of death
> – Why it matters: The mystery surrounding Ortiz’s final hours keeps the case wide open and the community waiting for answers.
A Christmas Day disappearance that baffled rescuers ended tragically when search teams pulled Fernando Ortiz‘s body from West Point Lake nine days later, leaving investigators scrambling to piece together how he got there.
The Disappearance
Ortiz was last spotted around 2 p.m. on December 25 near Liberty Hill Road, wearing a light-green shirt, jeans, and work boots. Despite an immediate alert from the Troup County Sheriff’s Office, ground crews, boats, drones, and a helicopter scoured the area without success.
> Lt. Stewart Smith admitted:
> > “We checked by boat, we checked with a drone, we checked with a helicopter and didn’t locate anything. We really didn’t know where he was.”
Discovery in the Lake
On January 3 at 1:45 p.m., searchers finally located Ortiz’s body in West Point Lake, which straddles the Georgia-Alabama line. Early observations revealed no obvious signs of trauma or attack, though officials caution that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation autopsy will provide definitive answers.
| Timeline | Event |
|---|---|
| Dec 25, 2 p.m. | Last seen on Liberty Hill Road |
| Dec 26 | Missing-person bulletin issued |
| Jan 3, 1:45 p.m. | Body recovered from West Point Lake |
| Pending | GBI autopsy results |
Ongoing Investigation
The sheriff’s office stresses the case remains wide open until forensic findings clarify how Ortiz died and how he ended up in the water.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the TCSO Criminal Investigations Division at 706-883-1616.
Key Takeaways
- Fernando Ortiz disappeared Christmas Day and was found nine days later in West Point Lake.
- Multiple search methods failed until the January 3 recovery.
- No initial trauma observed; GBI autopsy will determine cause of death.
- Investigators welcome tips as questions outnumber answers.
Until the autopsy results arrive, both family and authorities are left with more questions than answers about Ortiz’s final moments.
