Body of Missing Tennessee Deputy Found in River After Patrol Car Discovery

The search for Deputy Robert "R.J." Leonard concludes with the recovery of his body and that of an arrestee from the Tennessee River, in what authorities believe was a tragic accident.

The body of Meigs County Deputy Robert "R.J." Leonard was found in the Tennessee River, marking a tragic end to the search that began after his patrol car was discovered submerged.
Leonard had been missing since Wednesday night after making an arrest; his last communication suggested distress with the word "water."
The patrol car, found upside down in the river, contained the body of a woman believed to be the arrestee, though her identity has not been confirmed.
Authorities are treating the incident as an accident, theorizing that Leonard, unfamiliar with the area, may have missed a turn while distracted.
Leonard, who had recently joined the Meigs County Sheriff's Office, leaves behind a wife and five children.