2 found dead on Chickamauga Lake

Two boaters and their pet were pronounced dead at the scene of a suspected carbon monoxide poisoning on Chickamauga Lake.

Kristy D. James and Mike L. Richardson of Chattanooga were reported missing to the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office earlier in the day by a concerned family member. The boaters had not been heard from since Saturday.

Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) Officer Joe McSpadden responded to a call from the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department regarding the boaters on Chickamauga Lake around 10:45 a.m. The Hamilton County Sheriff ’s Office located the vessel, a 34-foot Bayliner, afloat in a cove near the 477 mile marker, near Harrison Island. The bodies of both victims and a pet were discovered on board.

The bodies of both victims were transported to the Hamilton County Medical Examiner’s office and the case remains under investigation. TWRA confirms three previous fatalities resulting from carbon monoxide poisoning since 2010. Enclosed cabin boats were involved in all incidents.