ALEA: Probe into Wheeler death ongoing

Published 9:00 am Thursday, June 27, 2019

The investigation into the death of an Athens man whose body was recovered earlier this month from Wheeler Lake is still under investigation, an official said Wednesday.

Derek Lane, 56, reportedly fell or jumped from a boat the evening of Tuesday, June 11. He and another person were in the boat in the water off the 9000 block of Motter Drive when the incident was reported at 9 p.m.

Sgt. Chad Pate of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s marine patrol division said investigators are waiting for the results of Lane’s autopsy. He said people who were relevant to the case had also been interviewed.

A number of local agencies worked together to search for Lane’s body, which was discovered by a fisherman the morning of Thursday, June 13, near the 291 river mile maker.