Specifically: His ashes spread over Lake Tahoe, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/74652674/donald-christopher-windecker. Mixed-gas scuba divers can descend much deeper than conventional scuba divers without suffering nitrogen narcosis and other problems. Until now. ", Stephen Drew, retired chief curator for the California State Railroad Museum, says, "I don't believe there is any credence in the rumor you are trying to track down -- in fact, far from it. Stay up to date with our daily newsletter, Canada's Trudeau Denies Report That Liberals Told To Drop Candidate Over China Ties, After Italian Migrant Boat Wreck, Police Arrest Three Alleged Traffickers, 14 Chinese Military Aircraft Tracked Around Country, China's Annual Parliament To Implement Xi's Tightening Grip, Revolut Auditor Flags Concern About $576 Million Of Revenue In Long-delayed 2021 Accounts. Four more divers remain missing in the same area, which is infamous for swallowing up victims.Windecker's body was clad in a wetsuit and buckled into a weight belt and air tank. Perhaps it was ducks that moved the kokanee salmon to the rivers there probably are a couple bodies at the bottom of the lake. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. The divers remains, still contained in a wetsuit and buckled with scuba gear and an air tank, were in amazing physical condition and remarkably preserved, Sheriffs Sgt. This browser does not support getting your location. Latest: OckhamsRazor22; 2 minutes ago; When such stories happen, myths about bodies. ). By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. More:9 places you must eat and drink in North Lake Tahoe, More:Tahoe's historic Cal Neva Lodge set for renovation; old cabins torn down. Cremated, Ashes scattered. The World is a public radio program that crosses borders and time zones to bring home the stories that matter. Dental records were used to identify Donald Christopher Windecker, from Reno,. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, 17 years went by before a group of "mixed gas" divers, who can safely dive to about 350 feet, discovered Windecker's body. All rights reserved. "They were wondering, 'What's this person doing down here?'". Just remember, you do not recognize the bodies in the water. Windecker was first reported missing in July 1994 when he was scuba diving in Lake Tahoe with a friend, said sheriff's Lt. Bryan Golmitz. Try again later. We have set your language to Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. I guess it's kind of surprising, especially after all these years," Vern Kloos, a Reno city planner, said. Just beyond the ledge where Windeckers body was discovered, the lake plunges to a depth of 1,645 feet. Give a fish a man, and he'll eat for weeks!". Tidbit: The submersible that found Windecker's body is 24 x 10 x 10 inches. Dear Abby: Why do they imply my husband is a freak? It's deep, it's cold, it's hard to recover a body from.". Just beyond the ledge where Windecker's body was found, the lake plunges to a depth of 1,645 feet.News reports at the time of Windecker's disappearance described him as a 44-year-old former city planner from Reno who set out for a dive on July 10, 1994. Thanks for your help! Try again later. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. South lake tahoe local here! Toward the end of the dive, the Times reports, Windecker apparently had trouble with his equipment, and began to sink. Antioch police seek help to ID woman who allegedly fired gun inside store, swiped liquor, Maxwells appeals arguments mirror earlier claims, Shes looking to get smoked; Messages reveal aggressive threats from suspect on morning of San Carlos beheading, Antioch council ends remote-meeting options for members and the public. The well-preserved body of Donald Christopher Windecker was discovered July 23 on an underwater shelf, 265 feet below the surface. In 2011, Donald Christopher Windecker's body was recovered and identified after dying in a diving accident 17 years ago. His friend tried to help, but then began running out of air and had to leave Windecker behind. Try again later. Donald Christopher Windecker's body was recovered and identified this month 17 years after the Reno city planner died in a Tahoe diving accident. Failed to delete memorial. CARSON CITY, Nev. The body of a scuba diver recovered from Lake Tahoe has been identified as a man who disappeared 17 years ago. Windeckers body was discovered by a group of mixed gas divers exploring cliff walls, Byers said. Donald Christopher Windecker disappeared on July 10, 1994 after diving into the famously deep mountain lake, which plunges to a depth of about 1,645 feet. They insist the tunnels are the result of volcanic activity. According to police reports, his partner said Mr Windecker appeared to have problems with his equipment and began to sink while the two were surfacing. They found Donald Christopher Windecker, though. Him and Ciro Mancuso were probably buddies. News reports at the time of Windeckers disappearance described him as a 44-year-old former city planner from Reno who set out for a dive on July 10, 1994. Authorities at Lake Tahoe have identified the remains of a scuba diver who disappeared in the lake's waters 17 years ago. They insist the tunnels are the result of volcanic activity. Lava tube connections between Lake Tahoe and other lakes are an urban myth, Byers said. He never returned. They often relate to the facts that dead bodies tend not to float there and, because of the cold temperatures, they stay preserved longer. Nobody knows the name or affiliation of the supposed "longtime Tahoe fire chief. The recovery occurred on the lakes west side, near Rubicon Point. Windecker's body was discovered in 265 feet of water by a recreational diver in late July off Rubicon Point along Lake Tahoe's west shore. Are YOU at risk of being cancelled? When such stories happen, myths about bodies. Windecker had died 17 years previously while scuba diving and due to the lake's cold. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. Dental records were used to identify Donald Christopher Windecker, from Reno, who was reported missing in July 1994 when he was diving with a friend at the lake. "We'll be able to do a thorough autopsy. Search above to list available cemeteries. Record information. Donaldpassed away on month day1994, at age 44 at death place, California. or debate this issue live on our message boards. cemeteries found in will be saved to your photo volunteer list. "Lava tube connections between Lake Tahoe and other lakes are an urban myth," Byers said.Other stories about oddities beneath Lake Tahoe have been debunked by experts. When such stories happen, myths about bodies at Lake Tahoe also resurface. To see more of the Los Angeles Times, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.latimes.com. But Cousteau never explored the lake. And authorities say they have used sonar and mini-subs to map the lakes bottom and never found such a graveyard. She's a biology professor at the University of Nevada, Reno. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. There was an error deleting this problem. Donald Christopher Windeckerwas born on month day1949, at birth place, California. Authorities at Lake Tahoe on Monday solved the mystery of a scuba diver who disappeared 17 years ago in the mountain lakes deep, frigid waters. Jim Byers. . They were wondering, Whats this person doing down here? Byers said. IRS delays tax deadline for Bay Area, but California hasn't followed: What should you do? The partner attempted to help him but was forced to the surface when he ran low on air. McLaughlin also finds this rumor preposterous. Dental records were used to make positive identification. Other stories about oddities beneath Lake Tahoe have been debunked by experts. Birth: 19 Dec 1949 Tulare County, California, United States of America. His body was protected from marine life and subject only to the slow work of cold bacteria. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. They were wondering, Whats this person doing down here? In 2011, the body of Donald Christopher Windecker was recovered from Lake Tahoe, found 350 feet underwater. Asked what hed seen and filmed on the lake bottom, Cousteau reportedly replied, The world isnt ready for whats down there.. All rights reserved. "It was pretty scary for them. Fires were set, and the Chinese were told to leave on their own or they would be shipped out in boxcars. Windecker's body was still wearing the wetsuit, weight belt and air tank he had on July 10, 1994, when the 44-year-old former city planner from Reno, Nevada went scuba diving in the lake with a friend. Some say his grandson, Philippe Cousteau Jr., visited there, but only for a 2002 speaking engagement. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. Accompanied by a friend, Windecker planned to swim to a depth of about 100 feet. Scott Adams faces 'consequence culture' as U.S. newspapers drop Dilbert, Tom Cruise's 'ditching' of Suri showcased by Judd Apatow's 'co-parenting' joke, ex-Scientology exec says. When he came back up, he said he would not film it because the world was not ready to see what the U.S government did to these poor people. ", He points out that the transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869 and "Surviving photographic documentation and (Central Pacific Railroad) Chinese payrolls confirm that large numbers of Chinese were still on the CPRR payrolls as successful track workers well into the 1870s.". CA - Lake Tahoe, scuba diver's body found, Jul'11 - Donald Windecker. U.S. Yearbooks Name Index, 1890-1979 DonaldWindecker1936 Donald Windecker, born Circa 1936 Donald Windeckerwas born circa 1936. you know what, if my mayor had a guy killed, dumped the body in the lake, and introduced non-native crustaceans into it for the express purpose of disposing of bodies while hiding it as a method to increase fishing tourism, by god, he can have this one. In "The Godfather 2," a character is killed on Lake Tahoe and dumped overboard. Mixed gas divers can safely descend to about 350 feet without suffering nitrogen narcosis, or rapture of the depths, among other problems. Jim Byers said. "Windecker's body was discovered by a group of "mixed gas" divers exploring cliff walls, Byers said.Mixed gas divers can safely descend to about 350 feet without suffering nitrogen narcosis, or "rapture of the depths," among other problems. Jim Byers told the Times, attributing the preservation to 35-degree water and water pressure. O. ID - 4 University of Idaho Students Murdered - Moscow # 28. The one that sticks out for me is that in Truckee, they had brought in hundreds of Chinese immigrants to build the railroads. Sign up for The Top of the World, delivered to your inbox every weekday morning. It doesn't appear in any feeds, and anyone with a direct link to it will see a message like this one. He did not identify members of the group.The surprising condition of the body is attributable to the 35-degree water and the increased pressure at the 265-foot depth, Byers said.He dismissed speculation that Windecker had gone undiscovered for so long because his body had been caught in underwater tunnels that legend says connects Lake Tahoe with Pyramid Lake northeast of Reno.Some Tahoe locals insist that bodies of boaters and swimmers who drowned in Lake Tahoe have turned up Pyramid Lake and vice versa. Is YOUR lifestyle good for your heart? Make sure that the file is a photo. Copyright 2023 IBTimes LLC. Depending on who is telling the story, Cousteau either encountered a Loch Ness-type monster that locals have dubbed Tahoe Tessie or came upon a bunch of dead people. Dental records confirmed it was Windecker. Others contend the watery grave contains card cheats and mobsters killed by the Mafia and anchored to the lake bottom by concrete-filled casino ice buckets, "wearing pinstriped suits, with sneers on their faces and bullet holes in their foreheads," as the San Francisco Chronicle put it in 2004.Tales persist that a "longtime Tahoe fire chief" responded to a drowning call and found the body of a well-preserved Native American girl, fully clothed in a 19th century ceremonial dress, floating in the lake.But Cousteau never explored the lake. Jim Byers. They become inactive. He said Tahoe killings could be possible but no one has come forward with even basic details that could be investigated, such as who was killed. Police reports say his partner reported Windecker appeared to have problems with his equipment and began to sink while the two were surfacing. During his college life, Don dropped . Among those said to populate Lake Tahoes dark depths are Chinese laborers who helped build the railroad across the Sierra Nevada in the 1860s. He may have had a heart attack or a stroke or maybe just ran out of air. The body was located 265' (80 meters) below the surface. View Source Share Save to Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Created by: Athena Accompanied by a friend, Windecker planned to swim to a depth of about 100 feet.But trouble occurred toward the end of the dive as the pair began to ascend. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. Hopefully we'll determine what happened.". U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-current. Conventional scuba divers have to stop at about 100 feet.Byers said those in the diving group were startled to see Windecker's motionless form. 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