Body part washes ashore in Ponte Vedra Beach, 'strong likelihood' it belongs to missing swimmer

The medical examiner in St. Johns County is working to positively identify a body part that washed ashore.

For hours, deputies searched the South Ponte Vedra Beach, looking for swimmer Dale Kopf, but Monday brought bad news.

“Over the weekend, we had someone who discovered a human remains on the beach,” said Cmdr. Chuck Mulligan with St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office.

Mulligan said they believe the remains belong to Kopf, who was reported missing by a friend last week.

“It’s crazy.” That’s how swimmer Ryan Sullivan describes the details of a human head washing up at South Ponte Vedra Beach.

“We believe that there’s a strong likelihood that it could be him, because the part that washed ashore is very close to proximity to where Mr. Kopf disappeared,” Mulligan said.

The rough waves and strong rip currents are clear signs for swimmers like David Guerrero to stay out.

“It looks pretty choppy, especially the past few weeks. Since the hurricane came, the water has been like, pretty choppy,” Guerrero said.

Deputies are now urging people not to swim in the ocean until the waves calm down.

“This is really not optimal time for people to be out in the ocean swimming, certainly not illegal, nothing that law enforcement is forbidding anyone to do,” Guerrero said.

Illegal or not, Ryan Sullivan says he will follow the warning.

“Especially, since hearing this, I’m not going to mess with it,” Sullivan said.

Mulligan said deputies will continue to search for the rest of the body. They are still waiting for the medical examiner to identify the human remains already recovered.

Cox Media Group