The Indian River County Sheriff’s Office reported that a Sebastian man drowned in the Indian River Lagoon last Sunday. The case remains under investigation.
Deputies said Robert Charles Richter, 33, drowned after entering the water for a swim near an island in the Indian River Lagoon. Richter had beached his boat near his home dock before deciding to swim.
“This case is currently active,” the sheriff’s office told Sebastian Daily.
Authorities were alerted to a possible drowning around 8:30 p.m., prompting a swift response from multiple agencies, including Indian River County Fire Rescue, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and the U.S. Coast Guard Station Fort Pierce.
Despite extensive search efforts, Richter’s body was not found until early Monday morning, floating in the lagoon.
Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Captain Joe Abollo described the incident as an accidental drowning. “He jumped into the water to swim and, tragically, did not resurface,” he said.
Richter was described by neighbors as an avid outdoorsman who loved spending time on the water. They said he was often on his boat, enjoying the lagoon.
The Indian River County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding Richter’s death. Abollo added that there were no signs of trauma on the body and that authorities were awaiting Richter’s autopsy and toxicology results.
