Surfside swimmer is missing
November 9, 2008
The St Johns County Sheriff’s Office has informed Historic City News that they are currently seeking the whereabouts of a 36 year-old St Johns County Woman who was last reported swimming in chest deep water at Vilano Beach.
According to the report from SGT. C. E. Mulligan, the missing woman was identified as 36 year old Melissa Lee Lightsey of St. Augustine. Lightsey was last seen swimming near Surfside Park around midnight Sunday morning after attending a wedding reception Saturday night.
St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office Marine Units, Beach Patrol Units (four wheelers) along with helicopter support from Flagler County have been searching the area since early Sunday morning, without any new information or sightings.
Lightsey was described as being slender build with waist length brown hair. She weighs approximately 110 lbs. and was wearing a long sleeved grey dress with Orange flower imprint.
Anyone with information or potential sighting is asked to contact Detective Charles Brantley with The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office by calling (904) 824-8304.
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Update:
The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office has recovered the body of a female in the St. Augustine Inlet shortly before 3:00 p.m. Sunday afternoon.
The Sheriff’s Office was contacted by a boater who believed he had spotted a body in the water, near the location, where a swimmer had been reported missing around midnight.
A Sheriff’s Office vessel responded to the area and recovered the body, where it was turned over to the Medical Examiners Office for confirmation of identity, and cause of death.
Trauma to the body was noticed on the recovered body and appeared to have possibly been caused by a passing motorboat. Cause of death and toxicology is pending the Medical Examiners Autopsy findings.
The investigation is continuing.
The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed the identity of the female, located in the waterway at St. Augustine Inlet as Melissa Lee Lightsey, W/F, 36, of St. Augustine. Lightsey had been reported as swimming in the ocean by her husband when he lost sight of her early Sunday morning. The preliminary autopsy findings had not been completed as of this date. Findings may become available Tuesday after completion of the report.
SGT Chuck Mulligan has reported to Historic City News that the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office is continuing its investigation into the death of Melissa Lee Lightsey.
Lightsey was reported as last being seen swimming in chest deep water near Surfside Park at Vilano Beach, by her husband, shortly after midnight this past Sunday morning.
The preliminary findings from both The Medical Examiners Office along with Field Investigative Detectives with the Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit, indicates the death of Melissa Lightsey is suspicious, and is currently being investigated as such. As of this date, The Medical Examiner has not released a completed preliminary autopsy report with a cause of death. Further, the report is not anticipated to be released by the medical examiner today.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit at (904) 824-8304. They may also be eligible for a reward and remain anonymous by reporting information to Crime Stoppers at 1-888-277-8477 (TIPS).
According to the obituary provided by St. Johns Family Funeral Home and Crematory:
Melissa Lee Lightsey, 36, St. Augustine, died on Nov. 9, 2008, in St. Augustine.
She was born in Miami, Fla., and had resided here since January 2005, moving to St. Augustine from Coconut Grove. She was a member of Mill Creek Baptist Church.
Private services are planned.
She is survived by her husband, Benjamin C. Lightsey; two children, Sunny Lynn Lightsey and Zane Fisher Lightsey, all of St. Augustine; her mother, Melinda Bryan, and her husband, Jim, Elkton; her father, Frank Revak Jr., and his wife, Myra, Germany; maternal grandmother, Marion Musselwhite, St. Augustine; paternal grandparents, Frank and Florence Revak, Coconut Grove; one sister, Melanie Mendez; two brothers, Michael Mendez and Christian Revak, all of Miami; stepsisters, Rochelle Messinger and Rene Sanabria; stepbrothers, Richard, Robert and Jerrett Bryan; and numerous aunts and uncles.