Missing Acworth man found dead in Haralson County lake
Searchers in Haralson County recover the body of a 78-year-old Acworth man who went missing on Jan. 3, 2024. (Haralson County Sheriff's Office)
BUCHANAN, Ga. - The body of a missing Acworth man was found on Saturday morning in a Haralson County lake.
Ardell Junior Kennedy, 78, who had been reported missing by his family Friday night, was the subject of an intensive search operation involving local authorities, state agencies, and community members.
Deputies responded to a call at 450 Tab Road in Buchanan at approximately 10:55 p.m. on Friday after family members reported Kennedy missing. According to the Haralson County Sheriff's Office, Kennedy had left his home in Acworth around 8:30 a.m. that day, intending to visit his property in Haralson County. When he did not return home by 8 p.m., concerned relatives traveled to the location where they found his truck but no sign of Kennedy himself. Additionally, a tractor and bush hog were reported missing from the property.
The search operation expanded to include the Haralson County Fire Department, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and the Georgia State Patrol (GSP) Aviation Unit. Investigators discovered that Kennedy's cell phone had been turned off since around noon on the day of his disappearance. The search continued into the early morning hours until the missing tractor was located at the edge of a lake on the property.
Ardell Junior Kennedy, 78, of Acworth, was reported missing after telling family members he was going to visit his Haralson County property. (Haralson County Sheriff's Office)
The Carroll County Fire and Rescue Dive Team was called to the scene to conduct a search of the lake. It was during this search that Kennedy’s body was found. The Haralson County Coroner’s Office was notified and pronounced the incident a tragic accident.
Sheriff Williams of the Haralson County Sheriff's Office expressed his condolences, stating, "Sadly, this was not the outcome we wanted in this case. Our hope was to find Mr. Kennedy alive and reunite him with his family." He extended thanks to all the agencies and community members who participated in the search effort and asked for the public to keep Kennedy’s family in their thoughts and prayers during this challenging time.