Evidence at a drowning scene at the Thelma bridge indicates one of the victims tried to pull himself out of the waters of Roanoke Rapids Lake.
Captain Jay Burch of the Halifax County Sheriff's Office said rescue personnel and EMS members Wednesday morning found finger impressions in the muddy banks of where Trelvin Daniels and Tashun Tillery had been fishing.
From that evidence it is clear one of them fell in the water and the other apparently made a rescue attempt. Burch said rescue and EMS also found a long impression in the mud that indicates a slide into the water.
One of the victims could not swim and Burch said investigators got differing opinions from half of the other's family members on whether he could swim.
The Thelma bridge was a place Daniels, 18, and Tillery, 17, both of Roanoke Rapids, went to fish, Burch said.
Burch said in a press release Wednesday the sheriff's office initially responded to call about a missing person who was last seen by his family as he was planning a fishing trip with a friend. During the investigation, officers learned the two frequented the Thelma bridge.
Officers located the vehicle driven by the two men parked in the area of the bridge, but were unable to find anyone in the area fishing. After a search of the area, officers found a fishing pole, a bucket and the keys to the car in an area under the bridge.
Local volunteer rescue and fire department dive teams were dispatched to the area in an attempt to assist in finding the two missing men.
Authorities were able to recover the bodies of both men after searching the area of the bridge near the items left by the missing men.
No foul play is suspected.
Services for Daniels
A visitation for Daniels will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., on Saturday, July 23, 2011, in the Roanoke Rapids Chapel of H.D. Pope Funeral Home. Funeral Services will be held at 2:00 p.m., on Sunday, July 24, 2011, also in the Roanoke Rapids Chapel of H.D. Pope Funeral Home. Rev. Chistopher Mallory will be officiating. The interment will take place immediately following the service in the Crestview Memorial Cemetery in Roanoke Rapids.
