RAPIDES PARISH, LA.

FROM:   ALEXANDRIA TOWN TALK

A body was found this morning in Cotile Lake, hours after officials had received a call about a missing person, according to a release.

The name of the victim has not been released, pending notification of family.

The Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office said that a call was received around 6:20 p.m. Wednesday about a possible missing person at Cotile. Deputies and divers from the department's Special Operations Group searched the area until about midnight, but found nothing.

The search began again before 6 this morning, and the body was found around 8:30 a.m.

Other agencies that assisted were the Cotile Volunteer Fire Department, Pineville Fire Department Search and Rescue, Rapides Fire District 2, Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office, Red River Parish Sheriff’s Office and Acadian Ambulance.

Chief Doug Rachal said that Sheriff Victor Jones approved the deployment of our Search & Rescue Equipment which includes state-of-the art sonar equipment after the Rapides Parish Sheriffs Office requested assistance.