Marly Kinney

Marly Kinney Found Dead After Five-Day Search at Grayson Lake
CARTER COUNTY, Kentucky — The search for 19-year-old Marly Kinney ended in tragedy on Sunday, June 28, 2026, when authorities confirmed that her body had been recovered from Grayson Lake following an extensive, multi-agency operation.
Kinney, of Ashland, Kentucky, had been missing since Wednesday, June 24, after spending the day aboard a rented pontoon boat with friends. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife officials stated that she did not return with the group, prompting an immediate search effort that expanded over several days.
Investigators have not released a complete public timeline of events, and several claims widely circulated on social media—including reports that Kinney left the boat to use the restroom on shore and that friends could not identify where she was last seen—have not been officially confirmed by authorities.
Search teams utilized boats, sonar equipment, dive crews, drones, Kentucky State Police helicopters, UTVs, ATVs, K9 units, cadaver dogs, and more than 50 volunteers. Multiple local and state agencies participated in the effort, including emergency management offices, fire departments, state park rangers, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
At approximately 3:45 p.m. on June 28, authorities recovered Kinney's body from Grayson Lake. The Carter County Coroner responded to the scene, and the Kentucky State Medical Examiner's Office in Frankfort will determine the official cause and manner of death. Investigators have not announced evidence of foul play, and the case remains active.
During the investigation, 23-year-old Cameron Conley, who reportedly operated the pontoon boat, was arrested and charged with boating under the influence. According to court documents cited by multiple outlets, Conley allegedly registered a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.137 percent, exceeding Kentucky's legal limit of 0.08 percent for operating a watercraft. No charges connecting him to Kinney's death have been announced.
Authorities continue to request information, photographs, videos, or witness accounts from anyone who was present at Grayson Lake on June 24.
The circumstances surrounding Marly Kinney's disappearance and death remain under investigation.