Putnam County officials have confirmed that they have recovered the body of a coach that went missing mfore than a month ago.
Sheriff Howard Sills has confirmed that Gary Jones’ body was discovered around 1 p.m. in approximately 45 feet of water, not far from where the body of his fiancée, Joycelyn Wilson, a Spelman College instructor, was found.
The gruesome discovery made Sunday, March 9, 2025, marks almost exactly one month since Gary Jones and his fiancée, Joycelyn Wilson, disappeared while boating on Lake Oconee.
Wilson’s body was recovered after they both went missing during the first week of February. The 47-year-old was a senior track-and-field instructor in the Department of Mathematics at Spelman College, where she had been since 2007.
Jones was a faculty member and varsity track-and-field coach at Westminster, a private Christian school in Atlanta.
Gary Jones: Body of Well-Like Coach Found in Lake Oconee
Gary Jones, a faculty member and varsity track-and-field coach at Westminster Schools in Atlanta, has been missing since February 8, 2025, following a boating incident on Lake Oconee. He and his fiancée, Joycelyn Nicole Wilson, a senior instructor at Spelman College, were last seen together when their unoccupied boat was discovered circling near Wallace Dam.
Joycelyn Wilson’s body was recovered the next day, but despite extensive search efforts—including the use of divers, cadaver dogs, and aerial assistance—Gary Jones had not been found. The search was suspended indefinitely after 22 days, but resumed shortly after.
Authorities have noted certain peculiarities in the case, leading them to treat it as more than a routine drowning. Items such as Wilson’s fanny pack containing cash and credit cards, along with a cell phone, were found, prompting further investigation. The Secret Service began assisting in attempting to unlock Wilson’s phone for additional evidence.
Gary Jones’ family had expressed their unwavering commitment to finding him, stating, “We will not rest until he is found.”
