Newton County Sheriff Robert Burby has identified the victim of a drowning as Decorian Shaquil Smith, 31, from Call. Sheriff Burby says at 5:15 p.m. Wednesday, searchers found his body in a waterway behind Scrappin Valley Lodge off Highway 87 north of Burkeville. Smith was boating prior to the report that he was missing at about 5 p.m. Tuesday. First responders looked until dark and resumed the search Wednesday morning, with assistance from the Beauregard Parish Sheriff's Office. The Scrappin Valley Lodge was owned and operated for many years by the Temple-Inland Corporation. It was sold years ago to a group of businessmen from the Lufkin-Nacogdoches area. There is a large lake on the property and also a fishing pier. The Newton County Sheriff’s Office was assisted in the search by Texas Parks and Wildlife Game Wardens, Beauregard Parish Sheriff's Office, and local volunteers from Burkeville VFD, Toledo Bend VFD, and the Blue Line Advocates (BLA).
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UPDATE: Sheriff identifies Newton County drowning victim
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