Missing Christmas Day: Nonprofit divers end search for Georgia man in West Point Lake

Nonprofit team brings closure amid heartbreak

Nonprofit divers used advanced sonar to recover the body of missing 34-year-old Fernando Ortiz, who was last seen Christmas Day, from Georgia's West Point Lake.

LAGRANGE, Ga. - The 10-day search for a missing 34-year-old man ended Tuesday when a nonprofit recovery team discovered his body in the murky waters of West Point Lake.

What we know:

Fernando Ortiz, who disappeared on Christmas Day, was located by Jeremy Sides and Adam Brown of the Rapid Compassion Collective. The discovery followed an extensive search of the wooded area in Troup County where Ortiz’s truck was originally found.

Fernando Ortiz, 34, was found dead on Jan. 3, 2026 after being reported missing on Christmas Day 2025 (Troup County Sheriff's Office).

After being contacted by the Ortiz family, Sides and Brown deployed specialized equipment, including boat-mounted sonar, a remote-controlled sonar boat, and an underwater drone. It took the team only a short time to find what local authorities could not.

What they're saying:

"Probably two hours in, Adam spotted the missing person on his sonar," Sides said.

Local officials later recovered the body from the water and confirmed it was Ortiz.

While the outcome was tragic, Sides noted that the discovery provided the family with necessary closure.

"They were so heartbroken. A lot of the family was on scene, mom was on scene," Sides said. "Very heartbreaking, but at least they know where he went."

The Rapid Compassion Collective, run by Sides, his wife Candace, and Brown, travels across the country, from Texas to New York, to assist families in similar distress. The team often braves "cold, dark, murky water" to find people missing in lakes, rivers, and ponds.

"We do have a lot of family members that reach out," said Candace Sides. "I do a lot of research on people who have been missing for decades up to newer cases."

Beyond their search and recovery efforts, the nonprofit also focuses on the environment. While scanning for missing persons, the team removes submerged hazards such as cars, old boats, and refrigerators.

What's next:

Despite the difficult nature of the work, the team remains dedicated to the mission. "We have a passion for this. We love doing it," Jeremy Sides said. "It feels good to help people."