CARSON CITY, Nev. The body of a scuba diver recovered from Lake Tahoe has been identified as a man who disappeared 17 years ago. To use this feature, use a newer browser. 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. Almost two decades later, an unidentified group of mixed-gas divers discovered Windeckers body while exploring cliff walls almost 300 feet below the surface. Other crustaceans certainly do. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. Try again later. His companion tried to help but began running out of air and was forced to surface. Bryan Golmitz of the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office said Windecker's body was well preserved after 17 years -- "He looked 90 percent like a person, the physical form was there, he was very present.". All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. So it's really a story about hooker, line and sinker. Record information. Copyright (c) 2011, Los Angeles Times Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. But McLaughlin has another reason for dismissing the rumor. Thanks for your help! 2023 TIME USA, LLC. GREAT NEWS! or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. Oops, something didn't work. 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. He points out that the railroads were happy to pay the Chinese laborers because "they were a reliable workforce, so why alienate them? Accompanied by a friend,. "If you've got Chinese working on the construction of your railroad up around Truckee near the pass, why take them all the way to Lake Tahoe?" Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. When all was said and done, they didn't want to have to deal with paying them and giving them promised citizenship so they took the immigrants out to the middle of the lake and tied them together in big groups and weighed them down and dumped them in. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. In attendance was his widow, Mary Windecker, son, Marcus Windecker, daughter, Claire Windecker, brother & wife, John & Lane Windecker, sisters, Geri and Corey Windecker and several close family friends. The name of Donald Christopher Windecker was released . The well-preserved body of Donald Christopher Windecker was discovered July 23 on an underwater shelf, 265 feet below the surface. Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. Rescue divers attempted to locate him at the time but were unable to do so. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. Mr Windecker, who was 44 when he died, was a planner for the city of Reno. Donald Christopher Hinds (born: December 29, 1994 (1994-12-29) [age 28]), better known online as Young Don The Sauce God, is a Jamaican-American YouTuber and animator who currently resides in San Diego. Authorities at Lake Tahoe have identified the remains of a scuba diver who disappeared in the lake's waters 17 years ago. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. Windecker reportedly suffered difficulty with his equipment and began to sink. Windecker's whole body was still in his wetsuit and boots when he was found, thus providing more evidence for how long bodies can be preserved down there. 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Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. Sgt. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. ' he said. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. The El Dorado County sheriffs office released the name Monday. They were wondering, Whats this person doing down here? Byers said. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. Dental records were used to identify Donald Christopher Windecker, from Reno,. Lake Tahoe expert and author Mark McLaughlin has his doubts. 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. The well-preserved body of Donald Christopher Windecker was discovered July 23 on an underwater shelf, 265 feet below the surface. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. Specifically: His ashes spread over Lake Tahoe, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/74652674/donald-christopher-windecker. View Source Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Created by: No Guts, No Glory Added: 9 Aug 2011 Find a Grave Memorial ID: 74652674 Asked what hed seen and filmed on the lake bottom, Cousteau reportedly replied, The world isnt ready for whats down there.. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. Dear Abby: Why do they imply my husband is a freak? It has swallowed divers before, and some remain missing. In other words, if the railroad companies were killing off Chinese workers by the hundreds to avoid paying them, it's unlikely so many would still be working for them after construction was finished. FOLLOW MORE IBT NEWS ON THE BELOW CHANNELS, IBT Fast Start - Let the best of International News come to you. Donald Christopher Windecker's body was recovered and identified this month 17 years after the Reno city planner died in a Tahoe diving accident. All Rights Reserved. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. 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. A person who says he was born in Carson City and lived there his whole life writes, regarding the mob dumping bodies, "My grandparents lived in Tahoe for 30+ years, and Grandma would always say that back in Tahoe's hey day when the Rat Pack was running around there, the mafia they were connected to would do the same things to people they wanted to 'get rid of.'". Although El Dorado County authorities say he had no close relatives, those who counted him as a friend are thankful this mystery has been resolved. Play it now! Is that where the rumor comes from? Marriage & Divorce. View Source Share Save to Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Created by: Athena Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). Include gps location with grave photos where possible. The bacteria produce gases as waste: carbon dioxide, methane, hydrogen sulfide. They become inactive. And authorities say they have used sonar and mini-subs to map the lake's bottom and never found such a graveyard. It was pretty scary for them. Donaldpassed away on month day1994, at age 44 at death place, California. Two points apply for our purposes: Bodies in Tahoe tend not to float but they do not stay preserved and are eventually broken down by their own bacteria as well as by marine organisms. Oops, we were unable to send the email. (via Los Angeles Times) Most Popular; From NewsFeed 772 comments They were wondering, Whats this person doing down here? I went to high school there and I remember it was commonly accepted that there were still Native Americans and pioneers still preserved in the lake. His mother's maiden name is Wilson. 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. Year should not be greater than current year. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Death, Burial, Cemetery & Obituaries. Are you saying those bodies could be in the lake in relation to his cocaine trafficking? "His remains are in amazing physical condition," said Sheriff's Sgt. Sorry! Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. Perhaps it was ducks that moved the kokanee salmon to the rivers there probably are a couple bodies at the bottom of the lake. Hard to tell, but if hundreds of bodies are down there, no one has found them -- despite the huge money-making possibilities from such a historic find. All rights reserved. There are tons of stories surrounding bodies in the lake, and I hate to say it, but there probably are a couple bodies at the bottom of the lake. The scuba gear bore a certification from 1994, officials with the El Dorado County Sheriffs Department said. Tracey Cox asks men the 9 sex questions women want HONEST answers to. "So the rumor states that not only are there hundreds of people down there all tied together but they are perfectly preserved because of the cold temperatures. or debate this issue live on our message boards. Ironic isn't it they just could have left him there when they found him. Kai Ma is a TIME contributor. Im Yvonne Beasley with the RGJ, and Im reviving our popular Ask the RGJ feature. 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Byers said those in the diving group were startled to see Windeckers motionless form. Give a fish a man, and he'll eat for weeks!". Jeff Rotman Scuba Diver's Body Discovered, 17 Years After His Disappearance. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. News reports at the time of his disappearance described Windecker as a 44-year-old former city planner from Reno, Nev., who set out for a dive on July 10, 1994. The partner attempted to help him but was forced to the surface when he ran low on air. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? 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. On July 10, 1994, Donald Christopher Windecker set out for a dive in Lake Tahoe. 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. Windecker reportedly experienced difficulty with his equipment and began to sink. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. Best Match Powered by Whitepages Premium AGE 20s Chris Windecker Wilmington, DE Aliases Christopher Mark Windecker Christophe Mark Windecker View Full Report Addresses Foxhill Ln, Wilmington, DE Cold-water crawfish cocaine. He never returned. Hello! 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Do not sell or share my personal information. Death: 10 Jul 1994 United States of America. ", Email yourquestions for "Ask the RGJ" by emailing ybeasley@rgj.com, Something else that can break down dead bodies in Lake Tahoe is marine life, which brings to mind the not-tasteful quote from the book "Animal Crossing -- Wild World": "Give a man a fish, and he'll eat for a day. Birth: 19 Dec 1949 Tulare County, California, United States of America. They planned to dive to a depth of 100 feet, but something went wrong. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. Join Facebook to connect with Christopher Windecker and others you may know. "It was pretty scary for them," Byers said. Him and Ciro Mancuso were probably buddies. The recovery occurred on the lake's west side, near Rubicon Point.Officials delayed releasing Windecker's name until dental records confirmed his identity. Trouble occurred when the pair began to ascend. Sign up and stay up to date with our daily newsletter. Global, Find a Grave Index for Burials at Sea and other Select Burial Locations, 1300s-Current. McLaughlin also finds this rumor preposterous. But Cousteau never explored the lake. Edited from the Snopes forum: "My whole life, I have heard rumors that there are a lot of human bodies that have been dumped in Lake Tahoe. DonaldWindecker Windecker was accompanied by a friend at the time of his disappearance, who said Windecker experienced problems with his equipment after the pair began to ascend from a dive. Tahoe is the second-deepest lake in the U.S., behind Oregon's Crater Lake, which has a maximum depth of 1949 feet. Lake Tahoe is on the California-Nevada border. Select the best result to find their address, phone number, relatives, and public records. CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) The body of a scuba diver recovered from Lake Tahoe has been identified as a man who disappeared 17 years ago. Tidbit: The submersible that found Windecker's body is 24 x 10 x 10 inches. Verify and try again. View Chris Windecker results including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. They were wondering, 'What's this person doing down here?'" The World is a public radio program that crosses borders and time zones to bring home the stories that matter. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. And then they introduced salmon and crawfish toclean up the damage? We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Jim Byers. Windecker had died 17 years previously while scuba diving and due to the lake's cold. In 2011, the body of Donald Christopher Windecker was recovered from Lake Tahoe, found 350 feet underwater. His remains are in amazing physical condition, said Sheriffs Sgt. A newer browser the photo viewer photo viewer address, relatives, background check report, and reviving! 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