According to the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office, a body was recovered in the St. Clair River this morning and is believed to be the missing swimmer from Friday night.
A relative of the young man who had rented a plane, called St. Clair County Central Dispatch received a call at about 7:45 a.m. to report that a body had been spotted off Russell Island.
Algonac Fire and Rescue sent a boat into the area and located the body. It was transported back to shore and taken to the morgue at McLaren Port Huron Hospital where the St. Clair County Medical Examiner’s Office will conduct an examination to make positive identification of the person located. The Medical Examiner’s Office has given no timeline on when they will release their findings.
Members of the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team had been searching for Gleason since he was first reported missing on Friday night shortly before 9:00 p.m. Gleason had jumped off a boat that was in the St. Clair River behind the St. Clair Inn. He immediately began calling for help. Friends attempted to assist, but Gleason disappeared under the water.
Also assisting in the search efforts were dive teams from the Sanilac, Wayne, Oakland and Macomb County Sheriff’s Office. The U.S. Coast Guard, St. Clair Fire Department, Michigan Department of Natural Resources and U.S. Border Patrol.