Found Deceased SC - Theron Wallace, 20, kayaking, Columbia, 25 Dec 2021

[JurassicParker]

Search continues for missing college student on Lake Carolina
Theron Wallace's family he is a student at USC Aiken and was home visiting them at their home on Lake Carolina.

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Updated: 7:44 AM EST Dec 28, 2021


COLUMBIA, S.C. —
The search continues for a missing college student in South Carolina who went kayaking on Christmas Day and never came home.

Theron Wallace's family said he is a student at USC Aiken and was visiting them at their home on Lake Carolina.



Officials with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources say the 20-year-old went kayaking before daylight on Saturday.

“We pray that we find him alive,” LaShae Wallace said.

Officials began to search for the man around noon that same day.

Family
Theron Wallace
During their search, they located the kayak and paddle that he had taken out.

The man has not been found as of Tuesday morning.

Wallace's siblings describe him as a free spirit who loved to be out in nature.

"He loved kayaking, meditating, sungazing, walking barefoot, so this is not really out of the norm for him," they said.

The Wallace family is asking for the community’s help to bring their brother home, asking anyone in the area who might have seen their brother or has security footage of the area to come forward.

If you have any information, contact the Department of Natural Resources at 803-734-3833.

SC family still searching for missing 20-year-old kayaker who went missing on Christmas day (msn.com)

 

[moonriverfarm]

Kayaking before daylight?

 

[JurassicParker]

Apparently. It also appears it's in the norm for him. I wonder if he had any lights lit while on the lake? Could he have been hit by a boater who didn't see him?

 

[Kristin Esq.]

Snipped:

South Carolina: Missing college student who went kayaking

The search continues for a missing college student in South Carolina who went kayaking on Christmas Day and never came home.

 

[StarryStarryNight]

Apparently. It also appears it's in the norm for him. I wonder if he had any lights lit while on the lake? Could he have been hit by a boater who didn't see him?

If he was hit by boat I would imagine his kayak that they found would have been damaged in some way, but there’s no mention of that.
They don’t say whether his kayak and paddle were found in the lake or on dry ground. Are they searching on land or dragging the lake?

 

[JurassicParker]

One of the articles I read said the kayak was "submerged". I've looked over a few articles let me see if I can find that particular one. None of them have mentioned damage but it could have side swiped him. Enough to flip him? Maybe he wasn't able to get the kayak upright after? Just throwing out ideas.

 

[JurassicParker]

Search continues for missing kayaker on Lake Carolina - ABC Columbia
Found it.

"On Christmas Day, DNR says they found a kayak submerged in water, a paddle and a shoe."
BBM

 

[hey-Debbie]

Kayaking before daylight?

I think lots of kayakers like to greet the day this way.

 

[Kristin Esq.]

Search continues for missing kayaker on Lake Carolina - ABC Columbia
Found it.

"On Christmas Day, DNR says they found a kayak submerged in water, a paddle and a shoe."
BBM

Thanks for clarifying!

 

[StarryStarryNight]

Search continues for missing kayaker on Lake Carolina - ABC Columbia
Found it.

"On Christmas Day, DNR says they found a kayak submerged in water, a paddle and a shoe."
BBM

Thanks for finding that.
I was kinda hoping maybe he just walked off to commune with nature like he apparently liked to do, but this doesn’t sound good at all.

 

[borndem]

Search continues for missing kayaker on Lake Carolina - ABC Columbia
Found it.

"On Christmas Day, DNR says they found a kayak submerged in water, a paddle and a shoe."
BBM

Thanks for the thread, @JurassicParker. Following.

Oh, dear, scary details. I would think the water would be cold, although temperatures in this part of the country around Christmas Day were in the 50's and mid 60's -- not "normal" for this time of year, but it was nice weather in my area of North Carolina.

Lake Carolina is near Columbia, SC, the state capital of SC. The lake is surrounded by homes.
Not liking the shoe -- that frightens me a bit. Hoping he is recovering somewhere but seems like someone would have noticed something and said something.

 

[Kristin Esq.]

Thanks for the thread, @JurassicParker. Following.

Oh, dear, scary details. I would think the water would be cold, although temperatures in this part of the country around Christmas Day were in the 50's and mid 60's -- not "normal" for this time of year, but it was nice weather in my area of North Carolina. Lake Carolina is near Columbia, SC, the state capital of SC. The lake is surrounded by homes.
Not liking the shoe -- that frightens me a bit. Hoping he is recovering somewhere but seems like someone would have noticed something and said something.

Yes, it was very nice here in NC on Christmas Day. But I'm afraid the water temperature would not match the outside temperature. And yes, the shoe is very concerning.

 

[StarryStarryNight]

Lake Carolina is a smaller community lake and not a true larger recreational lake, but they still allow motorboats it seems. This is from their webpage.


“What is the size of the Lake?
Lake Carolina covers approximately 200 acres, is 1.8 miles long, 43 feet deep at the dam and has over six miles of shoreline.”




“Are there any restrictions regarding boating on Lake Carolina?
The Lake Regulations Handbook, given to all homeowners, covers all aspects of use of the lake.




The following is a brief summary of some of the restrictions:




Water vehicles shall:
* If using motors or engines that are fifteen (15) horsepower or greater, be operated by persons at least sixteen (16) years of age, unless the person is (A) accompanied by a person at least eighteen (18) years of age, or (b) provides evidence of having successfully completed a boating course approved by South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
* Be operated at No Wake Speed from sunset to 10:00 a.m.
* Have and use running lights as required by law
* Use engines or motors whose exhaust is muffled under water.




In addition:
* No pontoon boats larger than 24 feet in length or any other type of boat larger than 20 feet 11 inches.
* No jet skis, wave runners, Sea Doos, or jet boats of any kind.
* No houseboats.
* No sea planes, gliders or ultralight aircraft.
* No boats may operate shoreward of markers designating restricted areas.
* No boats may be tied to any general community dock for periods longer than 2.5 hours.
* No boats may operate on Lake Carolina within 50 feet of any swimmer, swimming area, shore installation, platform, bathing beach, or cove at a speed greater than five miles per hour.
* No boat may exceed 40 miles per hour.
* No boat may be moored or anchored within 50 feet of any shore installation without the permission of the owner.
* There may be additional restrictions for residents who are not members of the Lake Association.”

 

[Kristin Esq.]

Search resumes for missing Lake Carolina kayaker Theron Wallace | wltx.com

 

[JurassicParker]

I really hope he's alive. Maybe just injured somewhere on the shore that isn't easily accessible to the public. I would hate to see this promising young man lose his life so early on. He also seems to be a genuinely great kid. Yesterday was a rough day for me for multiple personal reasons but it just emphasized how many times bad things happen to good people. Life isn't unfair but no one ever said it would be.

 

[StarryStarryNight]

Search resumes for missing Lake Carolina kayaker Theron Wallace | wltx.com

In the article it says they have a location for his phone. I guess that location is from after he went missing and if so that sounds a bit hopeful.
Looking at iMaps there is a St George Trail just off Kelly Mill Rd not too far from Lake Carolina.

 

[Wallendo]

It is hard to reconcile all the facts in this case.
He left a Bible open on the bed with a verse highlighted.
He was wearing a life vest.
His kayak was found submerged with one shoe found.
His phone was last located a fair ways away (did he walk that far with just one shoe?) Was his phone waterproof when he fell out of the kayak, or was the submerged kayak staged?

The findings at the lake suggest he fell out or was knocked out of the kayak. My first thought was an alligator attack, but I don't think alligators large enough to do that would be present as far inland as Columbia. Knowing he had a life vest a body is not likely to sink with the vest on, and if the vest was off, the vest should have been found (they are generally brightly colored).

The remaining facts suggest he wanted to disappear, but it bothers me that a person from a family of faith would choose Christmas Day to do so.

The intersection of St Greorge and Kelly Mill is very close to US 1, so hopefully somebody saw something that morning.

 

[Caring4Many]

It is hard to reconcile all the facts in this case.
He left a Bible open on the bed with a verse highlighted.
He was wearing a life vest.
His kayak was found submerged with one shoe found.
His phone was last located a fair ways away (did he walk that far with just one shoe?) Was his phone waterproof when he fell out of the kayak, or was the submerged kayak staged?

The findings at the lake suggest he fell out or was knocked out of the kayak. My first thought was an alligator attack, but I don't think alligators large enough to do that would be present as far inland as Columbia. Knowing he had a life vest a body is not likely to sink with the vest on, and if the vest was off, the vest should have been found (they are generally brightly colored).

The remaining facts suggest he wanted to disappear, but it bothers me that a person from a family of faith would choose Christmas Day to do so.

The intersection of St Greorge and Kelly Mill is very close to US 1, so hopefully somebody saw something that morning.

One of my sons is a extremely frequent kayaker. If it isn’t frozen over here in NY, he’ll go out. Anyways, my point in mentioning this is that if it’s warm out and the water isn’t too rough, he doesn’t have on his life vest. He will have it on the kayak, but not on his person. Reading this I’m wondering what Theron’s habit was or if in the state it’s required? It would be much more hopeful if he had the best actually on.
I also wonder if his family has access to his Google account to look at the Google data.

 

[Kristin Esq.]

Nothing new in the news today so far...

 

[Unalienable Rights]

The family has hired a private investigator. News video and article updating the search:

Theron Wallace still missing after Lake Carolina kayaking trip | wltx.com