Marly Kinney Found Dead Following Search at Grayson Lake

Missing Kentucky Teen Marly Kinney Found Dead Following Four-Day Search at Grayson Lake

By James Seidel | Crime and Cask Investigations

KENTUCKY — A massive four-day search for a missing 19-year-old ended in tragedy Sunday when authorities recovered the body of Marly Kinney from Grayson Lake in eastern Kentucky.

The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources confirmed Kinney’s body was located around 3:45 p.m. on June 28 near Grayson Lake, which spans Carter and Elliott counties. Her family was notified immediately following the recovery.

According to investigators, Kinney disappeared after spending the day on a rented pontoon boat with a group of friends. She was last seen on the afternoon of June 24, but did not return to shore with the rest of the group, prompting an extensive missing-person investigation.

Game wardens with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources coordinated an intensive search involving multiple agencies and volunteers. Search teams deployed boats, dive teams, sonar equipment, helicopters, drones, ATVs, K-9 units, cadaver dogs, and shoreline crews in an effort to locate the missing teen.

Authorities have not yet released Kinney’s official cause of death. The investigation remains ongoing.

Boat Operator Arrested for Alleged Boating Under the Influence

During the initial investigation, authorities arrested the operator of the pontoon boat, identified as 23-year-old Cameron Conley.

According to court records cited by local media, Conley contacted marina staff after reporting he could not locate one of the passengers who had been aboard his boat. When Kentucky State Police responded, troopers reportedly detected the odor of alcohol and observed signs of impairment.

Investigators said Conley admitted to consuming alcohol while operating the vessel and agreed to a breath test. Authorities allege the test showed a blood alcohol concentration of 0.137%, significantly above Kentucky’s legal limit of 0.08% for operating a boat.

Conley was arrested and charged with operating a boat or watercraft while under the influence of alcohol. Court records indicate he is scheduled to appear in court later this month. It has not yet been publicly reported whether he has entered a plea or retained legal counsel.

Family Thanks Search Teams

Before Kinney’s body was recovered, her family released a heartfelt statement expressing gratitude to the hundreds of first responders, volunteers, and community members involved in the search.

“We are incredibly grateful for the overwhelming support from law enforcement, search and rescue teams, first responders, and volunteers,” the family said. “We know the very best people are doing everything possible to bring Marly home.”

The recovery has brought the search to a close, but investigators continue working to determine the circumstances surrounding Kinney’s death.

CC News Network will continue to follow this developing case and provide updates as additional information is released.

About the Author

James Seidel

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About the CC News Network James Seidel: Publisher, Award Winning Journalist, Author. Investigator, Podcaster, Talk Show Host, and Music Producer. The CC News Network is a distinguished media company in the world of South Carolina News, Weather, Sports and True Crime. At the beginning, James Seidel was only known as Crime and Cask and well known for his relentless pursuit of truth and justice in the Alex Murdaugh trial. As a journalist, author, investigator, radio talk show host, and record producer he has made significant contributions to uncovering some of the most complex and high-profile criminal cases of our time.

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