Fisherman finds body of missing man near Trinity River in Liberty County, deputies say

Nathan Heathco, 22, was last seen walking on FM 1409 in Liberty County, Texas Equusearch said. (KPRC 2)

DAYTON, Texas – A fisherman found the body of a missing man Sunday near the Trinity River in Liberty County, deputies said.

The man’s body was found not far from where crews were searching for him.

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Authorities said the fisherman was searching for a place to fish along a tributary of the river when he found 22-year-old Nathan Heathco’s body in the water just off Private Road 442. Heathco was last seen walking on FM 1409 in Liberty County on Jan. 12, according to a spokesman for Texas Equusearch.

According to Criminal Investigation Division Capt. Billy Knox, an autopsy report revealed that Heathco had drowned.

Officials said they believe Heathco may have been injured in a vehicle crash prior to his disappearance.


About the Authors:

Briana Zamora-Nipper joined the KPRC 2 digital team as a community associate producer in 2019. During her time in H-Town, she's covered everything from fancy Houston homes to tropical storms. Previously, she worked at Austin Monthly Magazine and KAGS TV, where she earned a Regional Edward R. Murrow award for her work as a digital producer.

Aaron Barker has been a senior digital editor at KPRC 2 since 2016. As a meteorologist, he specializes in stories about the weather. He has covered Hurricane Harvey, the Astros first World Series win, the Santa Fe High School shooting, the ITC fire and Tropical Storm Imelda.