Weeks after a nighttime kayaking trip turned desperate, search crews in Halifax County have recovered a body from Roanoke Rapids Lake and identified it as Angel Martinez. The discovery over the weekend brings closure to a prolonged search that began when Martinez vanished on May 14, but it has left the lakeside community reeling.
According to The Charlotte Observer, the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office said in a Saturday news release that Martinez and a friend were kayaking near the Fifth Street boat landing when their single kayak started taking on water and the pair became separated. A nearby resident heard screaming and called 911, and deputies were able to pull one man from the water while Martinez could not be found.
How the search unfolded
As reported by WITN, Halifax County requested mutual aid on May 15, turning the effort into a multi-agency search that drew in neighboring counties and state teams. Crews deployed drones, hull-mounted side-scan sonar, a towable sonar array and an underwater ROV, while cadaver dogs worked the shorelines and aviation and K-9 units backed up the operation.
What survivors told responders
Emergency crews said the kayaker who survived told responders that Martinez had given him his life jacket, and that he was found clinging to the vest when rescuers reached him. The detail surfaced in local coverage and emergency posts during the search, according to The Charlotte Observer.
Family and local reaction
For Martinez’s family, Roanoke Rapids Lake is more than a backdrop to a tragedy. In an interview with WRAL, his sister said the family has long spent time at the lake and described the area as deeply woven into their upbringing.
Why small boats can turn deadly
Even a calm outing on a small craft can turn dangerous in seconds. Sudden immersion and cold water can quickly overwhelm paddlers, and national data highlights how exposed they are on the water. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, roughly three quarters of recreational boating deaths are drownings, and the vast majority of those victims were not wearing life jackets, underscoring the importance of properly fitted flotation devices and checking conditions before heading out.
The Halifax County Sheriff’s Office has thanked the many agencies and volunteers who joined the search and said it will continue to share updates as the investigation moves forward. In a statement relayed by ABC11/WTVD, deputies expressed their “sincere thanks” to the responding teams and to those who supported Martinez’s family throughout the effort.
