Manchester Lakes residents had a hard time believing a man could drown in a shallow pond in the Tiers II neighborhood.
The body of Jerry Lee Watson, 37, of the 6000 block of Mersey Oaks Way was discovered, early Saturday morning in a pond that was not more than waist deep according to Van Richins, whose condominium overlooks the pond.
Fairfax County police public information officer Ramone Robertson confirmed there was a missing persons report pertaining to Watson but wasn't sure how long the body had been in the water.
Richins noticed the officers, plain clothes detectives and crime scene tape cordoning off an area by the water's edge. When examining it further, he could see part of the body sticking out of the water.
"I went out to go jogging about 8:45 and they already had the crime tape up. I got right to the tape, you couldn't see the body. They cordoned off the whole area, from the opposite side, you could see the body," he said.
FELLOW TIERS II resident Kathleen Goldston was also interested in what was going on.
"Lots of police cars, a helicopter was circling. They said he was picking up trash," she said.
According to Fairfax County police public information officer Jacqi Smith, "a passerby noticed the body in the water, there were no signs of trauma," she said. The Fairfax County medical examiners office conducted an autopsy on the body and found no signs of foul play. According to PIO Lt. Amy Lubas, "we are not investigating that as a homicide," she said.
It will be ruled an accidental drowning for now but a toxicology test is being performed, which could take up to a month, Smith said.
"The cause of death will be pending a toxicology report," she said.
SIGNS WERE POSTED around the pond and residents reported no suspicious activity around the water in the past.
"They're not allowed to swim, boat or nothing," Goldston added.
Manchester Lakes on-site manager Casey Baker was surprised at the news. Her office is across Kingstowne Boulevard from that pond but the drought has taken a toll on all the ponds in the area.
"The ponds are fairly shallow and because of drought, they're low," she said.