UPDATE: Police: Salisbury drowning victim entered water on his own
An investigation into the fatal drowning of a Salisbury man, that apparently started as a drug deal gone wrong.
Salisbury Police say on Sunday, around 9:30 PM Officers responded to reports of a drowning in the Wicomico River at 530 Riverside Drive, near the public boat ramp. Once on scene, Officers reportedly found a Good Samaritan attempting to save 24-year-old Lamar Sheppard, who had just been pulled from the water. Sheppard was later pronounced dead at Peninsula Regional Medical Center.
Speculation from Sheppard’s family revealed that the incident may have been a drug deal gone awry, and Police are now saying that is the case.
After days of investigation, Police have reportedly found surveillance footage of the incident, and the moments leading up to Sheppard’s death. On that footage, the victim can be seen running from three people, towards the boat ramp, after an apparent drug transaction that happened moments before, on Newton Street.
Police say Sheppard went into the water on his own, in an apparent attempt to get away from the people chasing him, however, he wasn’t able to swim. The three people who had been chasing Sheppard, were now reportedly trying to get Sheppard out of the water, and threw him a dock hose, but he continued to struggle. At this point, Police say the Good Samaritan got into the water, and pulled Sheppard out. The three others who were chasing Sheppard, then apparently left.
Detectives say they were able to interview several witnesses, including two of the three who were chasing Sheppard when he went into the river. The footage is apparently from a camera on the opposite side of the river and shows critical points of the incident as it unfolds, including Sheppard getting into the river on his own.
On Monday, an autopsy by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner reportedly showed that there was no obvious signs of trauma to Sheppard, but the cause and manner of death haven’t been determined at this time, as additional testing is reportedly needed.
Police say the investigation is on-going at this time, but it is suggesting that there was no foul play involved with the death. Officials say there is no evidence to support criminal charges for the drowning. Detectives are apparently still trying to identify the third person who was chasing Sheppard that night.
