Local News
Body of Missing Kentucky College Angler Peyton Hughes Recovered at Toledo Bend in Texas
The search for 22-year-old Peyton Hughes, a Campbellsville University student and member of the school’s kayak fishing team, has come to a heartbreaking end.
Hughes, originally from Kentucky, was reported missing on September 24, 2025, after he failed to meet up with his travel partner while fishing on Toledo Bend Reservoir, a massive lake that stretches across the Texas–Louisiana border.
According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), officers initially located Hughes’ kayak during the first stages of the search but found no trace of the young angler.
On Friday morning, Hughes’ mother, Sara Ashley Hughes, confirmed that recovery teams had located her son’s body in the lake.
“Oh NOOO my baby is gone,” she wrote in a public post. “They recovered his body this morning in the lake. Please pray for us. My sweet boy is gone to be with his Daddy who died fighting for this country. I love you Peyton Hughes & Adam! Oh gosh I’m hurting so bad!”
Hughes was well-known in the competitive kayak fishing community and was preparing to represent Campbellsville University in the upcoming Bassmaster Kayak Series tournament, scheduled for September 27–28 on Toledo Bend.
He and a travel companion had been on the water pre-practicing ahead of the event.
When Hughes did not arrive at their agreed meeting point, his companion immediately notified authorities, triggering a multi-agency search operation.
TPWD led the search with assistance from local crews, using boats and specialized equipment to comb the reservoir.
The search intensified as days passed, with family, friends, and the wider fishing community following updates closely.
During the early stages, Hughes’ mother pleaded publicly for support:
“PLEASE keep my son, Peyton Hughes, and everyone searching for him in your thoughts and prayers. He was in Louisiana fishing with the Campbellsville University Kayak Fishing Team and is currently missing. We are holding onto hope. My Mama heart is very heavy right now. I am asking for prayers, positive thoughts, and any support as the search continues.”
In a statement, B.A.S.S. (Bass Anglers Sportsman Society) confirmed that Hughes had been registered to compete in the Toledo Bend event and said they were in direct communication with TPWD throughout the search.
“We are deeply saddened by this tragedy and extend our thoughts and prayers to Peyton’s family, friends, and the Campbellsville University community,” the organization said.
Hughes’ death is not only a loss for his family but also for the tight-knit world of college and competitive kayak fishing.
Loved ones describe him as a passionate angler, a devoted son, and a young man whose life ended far too soon.
His mother shared that he is now reunited with his late father, Adam Hughes, who died serving his country.
UPDATE: Search efforts have been suspended following the sinking of the commercial fishing vessel Lily Jean off the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts, marking another tragic loss for the city’s historic fishing community.
The U.S. Coast Guard was alerted early Friday morning by the vessel’s emergency beacon after it activated in the water; no mayday call was received.
Responders located a debris field, an unoccupied life raft, and one deceased individual in the water.
Six other crew members remain missing and are presumed lost after an extensive air and sea search yielded no additional results.
The Coast Guard cited frigid water temperatures, challenging weather conditions, and the vast search area in its decision to suspend operations.
GLOUCESTER, Mass. — Authorities have identified all seven individuals who lost their lives after the commercial fishing vessel Lily Jean sank approximately 25 miles off Cape Ann, Massachusetts, early Friday morning, marking a devastating loss for Gloucester’s historic fishing community.
The Lily Jean, a commercial fishing vessel measuring between 72 and 80 feet in length and homeported in Gloucester—the nation’s oldest working fishing port—activated its emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) at approximately 6:50 a.m. Friday while returning to port.
No mayday call was received, and subsequent attempts to contact the vessel were unsuccessful.
The U.S. Coast Guard immediately launched a large-scale search and rescue operation, deploying an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and multiple surface assets to the area of the distress signal.
Crews located a debris field and an unoccupied life raft roughly 25 miles offshore near the EPIRB activation site, confirming the vessel had sunk to the ocean floor. One deceased individual was recovered from the water.
The remaining six crew members were later presumed lost after extensive search efforts yielded no additional results.
Officials confirmed that seven people were aboard the vessel at the time of the incident, revising earlier reports that indicated six.
The seven individuals who perished aboard the Lily Jean are:
- John Paul Rousanidis, 33, of Salem/Peabody, Massachusetts
- Sean Therrien, 44, of Lynn/Peabody, Massachusetts
- Freeman Short, of the Marshfield/Scituate area
- Captain Gus Sanfilippo, a well-known and respected Gloucester fisherman
- Paul Beal Sr., deckhand
- Paul Beal Jr., deckhand and son of Paul Beal Sr.
- Jada Samitt, 22, of Virginia
Jada Samitt, the seventh crew member identified, was serving aboard the vessel in the role of a federal fisheries observer with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). She had recently relocated to Massachusetts to pursue her passion for environmental biology, graduating last year. Family members said joining the Lily Jean crew was her first major professional role at sea and a lifelong dream.
Her aunt, Heather Michaels, described Samitt as a compassionate and driven young woman who deeply respected her captain and dedicated herself fully to her work. “She put her heart and soul into this opportunity,” family members said, noting her commitment to marine conservation and the fishing community.
Officials said the Lily Jean had reported taking on water shortly before contact was lost.
The vessel is now presumed fully submerged.
The tragedy has sent shockwaves through Gloucester’s close-knit maritime community.
Ashley Sullivan, a local business owner who knew the vessel’s owner, emphasized the daily risks faced by commercial fishermen. “I hope people really take a moment to understand the sacrifices these men and women make to put food on our tables,” she said. “This is heartbreaking.”
Massachusetts State Senator Bruce Tarr also expressed condolences, highlighting Gloucester’s deep fishing heritage. “Gloucester has a long fishing history, and that history includes tragic loss,” Tarr said. “It appears we are experiencing another of those painful chapters.”
Governor Maura Healey released a statement saying she was “heartbroken over the devastating news out of Gloucester,” adding that her administration has offered full assistance to local officials and the Coast Guard. She extended prayers to the victims’ families and the broader fishing community across Cape Ann and the Commonwealth.
Community members and local businesses have continued to share messages of remembrance and solidarity. Taylor Hunt, a relative of Freeman Short, posted a tribute honoring the crew, writing in part: “The salt has been in our blood for generations… A man is not lost while the sea remembers his name. Fair winds and following seas.”
The Lily Jean had previously been featured on the History Channel series Nor’Easter Men, which documented the dangers and demands of New England’s commercial fishing industry.
While search operations have concluded, the Coast Guard and relevant agencies continue to review the circumstances surrounding the sinking. Officials have stated that further updates will be released as additional information becomes available.
Authorities have urged the public to keep the victims’ families and Gloucester’s fishing community in their thoughts and prayers during this period of profound loss.