Natural Resources Police Assist In Recovery Of Centreville Man
CENTREVILLE — Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) assisted today in the recovery of a Centreville man who had been missing and was later found dead. Queen Anne’s County Sheriff’s Office was the lead investigative agency for the incident.The body of Charles Thomas Mutain, age 82, of Quail Run Drive in Centreville was found in the Corsica River at the end of his residence pier approximately 25-30 feet off shore.
Mutain had been missing since approximately 8:30 p.m. last night. He was reported missing shortly before 7 a.m. this morning.
NRP Cpl. Lisa Nyland along with her K-9 unit, and East Coast Canine Search and Rescue’s Ethel Johnston and her K-9 unit from were able to locate the victim in under an hour. While an official cause of death is not know, it appears that Mutain drowned after falling through the ice. The K-9 units were brought in after a team of divers had been unsuccessful locating the victim.
Queen Anne’s County Sheriff’s Office will conduct a full investigation into the cause of death, however, foul play is not suspected at this time. Next of kin has been notified.
“I’ve been doing this for 9 years and it’s the first time that recovery has been made immediately after the dogs have alerted,” Cpl. Nyland said. Cpl. Nyland has been an NRP law enforcement officer for 19 years, and assigned to a K-9 unit for 9 years. Her first dog, Jesse, and her new dog, Liberty, were on the scene today. Johnston’s dog is named Ruby; all three are Labrador retrievers.
“These were the worst conditions I’ve ever searched in,” Cpl. Nyland. Air temperatures today were 30 degrees, but wind gusts of up to 23 m.p.h. made it feel like 18 degrees.
Nyland, and her older dog, Jesse, have previously worked around the state, and were assigned to search and recover the remains of victims at the Pentagon after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attack.
The Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) is an enforcement arm of the Department of Natural Resources. With an authorized strength of 214 officers and a dedicated staff of civilian and volunteer personnel, the Natural Resources Police provide a variety of services in addition to conservation and boating law enforcement duties throughout the State of Maryland. These services include search and rescue, emergency medical services, education, information and communications services on a round the clock basis.
Posted January 15, 2004