HUNT COUNTY, Texas — A Texas police sergeant went duck hunting and did not return Wednesday as anticipated. He was found dead Thursday at Lake Tawakoni, about 60 miles east of Dallas.
Sgt. Robert Ramsey was a 12-year veteran of the University Park Police Department, according to authorities.
In a statement Thursday, University Park Police said it appeared as though Ramsey put his boat in the water at a public ramp. It’s unclear how he ended up in the water, but his boat was found drifting Wednesday, The Dallas Morning News reported.
Texas game wardens and West Tawakoni police searched for Ramsey, and found his body in the lake just before noon Thursday.
“I have known and worked with Robert since the 1990s when we worked together on joint assignments in the twin cities of Texarkana,” University Park Police Chief Greg Spradlin said in a statement. “An avid hunter, Robert loved the outdoors. I would ask you to keep Robert and his family, his friends and fellow officers in your thoughts and prayers.”
Spradlin said Ramsey was a school resource officer at Highland Park High School and was the department’s firearms and defensive tactics instructor. In 2018, Spraldin said, he was nominated by his colleagues and was named University Park’s city employee of the year.
Further information about his death was not available. The city is planning a memorial service for a later date, police said.
