Body Found in Tampa Bay Confirmed As Missing Navy Chief

TAMPA, FL — The Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Office has confirmed the body found in Tampa Bay Thursday night is missing Navy Chief Petty Officer Kenneth Reginald Gates.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement of the positive identification late Friday afternoon. Gates had been missing since Tuesday in waters about 2 miles west of Bahia Beach. The search for him was called off Thursday. The body was found later in the evening.

Gates and friend Kearston Jones launched a 19-foot Proline fishing boat from the MacDill Air Force Base ramp around 9 a.m. Tuesday, the sheriff’s office said. They anchored that boat in about 20 to 30 feet of water about 2 miles west of Bahia Beach later that morning. Around 11:30 a.m., Gates and Jones decided to move to a different spot, the sheriff’s office said.

“Gates attempted to retrieve the anchor and discovered it was stuck,” the email stated. “Gates dove into the water in an attempt to free the anchor, and resurfaced to say he was having trouble freeing the anchor due to the heavy current. Gates then submerged again and never resurfaced.”

Jones called 911 when Gates didn’t resurface, kicking off a lengthy search for Gates. The sheriff’s office, U.S. Coast Guard and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission all searched over the course of two days with no results.

“The boat was towed back to MacDill AFB and examined by investigators,” the sheriff’s office email stated. “At this time, the incident appears accidental and no foul play is suspected.”

Gates, 32, of Lawrenceville, Ga., was a chief petty officer and a 10-year Navy veteran, according to a statement released Thursday by the United States Special Operations Command. Gates worked in the Force Management Division at SOCOM headquarters in Tampa and was described as being a "leader, teammate and friend to many across the staff."

“Chief Gates was not only an integral part of the Navy team here at SOCOM, he was a caring father and an amazing mentor to the Sailors who worked for him,” Capt. Kent Paro, USSOCOM’s Navy element commander, said in the statement. “He will be deeply missed at home and on base.”

It is unclear if Jones is an active member of the military.

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