Police recover body of John Conrad III in Gunpowder River five days after his boat was found motoring in circles
SPARROWS POINT, MD. — The body of a Baltimore County boater, whose disappearance was the subject of an extensive search by law enforcement and rescue agencies, was recovered at 7:00 p.m. on May 30, 2015 near Salt Peter in the Gunpowder River, the Maryland Natural Resources Police said.
John Wilmer Conrad III, 40, of Sparks, was on his way from Chestertown to a Middle River marina on May 25, when he went missing. His 25-foot sailboat was seen the next morning, motoring in a circle near North Point State Park, by a Baltimore County Police aviation unit.
The Coast Guard was able to board the boat, anchor it and rescue a dog.
Heavy seas and gusty winds hampered search efforts by units from NRP, the Coast Guard and Baltimore County.
NRP investigators inventoried the boat and spoke to colleagues and family to establish a timeline tracing Conrad’s final hours. The investigation continues.
Conrad’s body was taken to the state Medical Examiner’s Office in Baltimore for an autopsy.