At approximately 9:50am this morning, the Liberty County Sheriff’s dispatcher received a call that by-standers saw an adult male go under the water but never surface in a pond located near Hwy. 105 by-pass and CR 318 in north Liberty County. According to Sheriff’s Cpl. James W. McQueen who responded to the scene a SCUBA diver from the Cleveland Fire Department located the body of Leobardo Ovido Gonzalez, DOB 1-7-56 at approximately 11:45am near where he was last seen. Further investigation determined that Gonzalez was from the Conroe area and family members were later notified by authorities.
Cpl. McQueen said that from the kayak found at the scene, it appears that Gonzalez was boating alone in what is described as a retention pond when at some point, he either fell out of the kayak or slipped below the surface of the water while preparing to board his kayak. Pct. 6 Justice of the Peace, Judge Ralph Fuller came to the scene and ordered an autopsy.
