Authorities are working to unravel a grim discovery at J. Percy Priest Lake, where Metro police and Nashville Fire crews pulled the body of an adult man from the water inside Long Hunter State Park on Thursday evening, officials said. The find has triggered a homicide investigation, and so far police have not identified the man or released any details about how he died.
According to WKRN, officers were called to Long Hunter State Park on Bakers Grove Road off Hobson Pike at about 5:45 p.m. Personnel with the Nashville Fire Department assisted in recovering the man’s body from the lake. The Metro Nashville Police Department’s Homicide Division is leading the probe, and the station reports that no additional information was immediately released.
Lake Has Seen Multiple Recoveries in Recent Years
The J. Percy Priest reservoir has been the scene of several recoveries and drownings in recent years, and local outlets have regularly covered those incidents. Similar events include the recovery of a missing kayaker in April 2025, per WSMV. Earlier fatal recoveries have been documented by NewsChannel 5, as well as a prior report on a missing person recovery at the lake last year.
Investigators’ Next Steps
Detectives with the Metro Nashville Police Homicide Division are now working with the medical examiner to identify the victim and determine the cause of death as the investigation continues. For official updates and information on how to contact investigators, the department directs the public to the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department newsroom.
