The search for 19-year-old Marly Kinney ended in tragedy after her body was recovered from Grayson Lake in Carter County on Sunday afternoon. Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources said the Ashland woman had been missing since Wednesday, June 24, 2026.
The discovery came at about 3:45 p.m. after an exhaustive multi-agency search focused on the water and shoreline around Grayson Lake Marina. Officials said the case remains under investigation while the cause of death is determined by the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Frankfort.
What investigators said
According to a Facebook update from the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, the body was identified as Kinney and her family was notified. The Carter County Coroner responded to the scene after the recovery.
Game wardens led the search after a missing person report said a female passenger did not return with a group of friends on a rented pontoon boat. The effort brought together boats, divers, helicopters, drones, UTVs and ATVs, as well as K9 and cadaver dogs.
| Key detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Victim | Marly Kinney, 19, of Ashland, Kentucky |
| Recovery time | About 3:45 p.m. Sunday |
| Location | Grayson Lake in Carter County |
| Missing since | Wednesday, June 24, 2026 |
Agencies involved in the search
Assistance came from Kentucky State Police, the Ashland Fire Department, Grayson Fire Department, Carter County Emergency Management, Boyd County Emergency Management, Elliott County Sheriff’s Office, Elliott County Emergency Management, the US Army Corps of Engineers and Kentucky State Parks rangers. Lexington Fire Department, Sandy Hook Fire Department, England Hill Fire Department and more than 50 local volunteers also helped.
www.wsaz.com reported that Kinney was last seen near the Grayson Lake area, and multiple agencies found her body in the lake on Sunday. The investigation is still open, and officials are asking anyone with information to contact Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Law Enforcement at 800-25-ALERT (25378) or Kentucky State Police Post 14 at 606-928-6421.
Questions can also be directed to the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Information Center at 800-858-1549 on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET, except on state holidays, or by email at info.center@ky.gov.
