The body of 19-year-old Marly Kinney, missing since June 24, 2026, was recovered from Grayson Lake in Carter County at 3:45 p.m. Sunday. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife says the Carter County Coroner and family have been notified, and the State Medical Examiner’s O
For the sixth day after 19-year-old Marly Kinney was reported missing, the search at Grayson Lake kept stretching farther—out on the water, along the shoreline, and into a wide web of agencies and volunteers.
On Sunday evening. the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources posted an update on its Facebook Page confirming what many had been hoping would turn into a different outcome. The department said the body of a female recovered at 3:45 p.m. that day from Grayson Lake in Carter County has been identified as Marly Kinney. The 19-year-old was from Ashland, Kentucky, and had been missing since Wednesday afternoon, June 24, 2026.
The family has been notified, and the Carter County Coroner was notified and responded to the scene. The cause of death will be determined by the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Frankfort.
Kentucky Fish and Wildlife said game wardens led an exhaustive search after a missing person report indicated a female passenger did not return with a group of friends on a rented pontoon boat at Grayson Lake Marina. Search efforts focused on the water and shoreline. with assistance from multiple county and state law enforcement agencies. first responders and volunteers.
The response was broad and relentless. It included boats, Ashland Fire Department divers, sonar, Kentucky State Police helicopters, drones, UTVs/ATVs, and K9 and cadaver dogs.
Agencies assisting Kentucky Fish and Wildlife included Kentucky State Police. Ashland Fire Department. Grayson Fire Department. Carter County Emergency Management. Boyd County Emergency Management. Elliott County Sherrif’s Office. Elliott County Emergency Management. the US Army Corps of Engineers. Kentucky State Parks rangers. Lexington Fire Department. Sandy Hook Fire Department. England Hill Fire Department and more than 50 local volunteers.
What happens next is tied to one remaining question: how she died. The department said this case remains under investigation.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Law Enforcement at 800-25-ALERT (25378) or Kentucky State Police Post 14 at 606-928-6421. Information and questions may also be directed to the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Information Center at 800-858-1549, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (ET) weekdays, excluding state holidays, or at info.center@ky.gov.
Marly Kinney missing woman Grayson Lake Carter County Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Kentucky State Police pontoon boat Frankfort medical examiner
This is so sad. I can’t even imagine.
So they found her at 3:45 Sunday but she went missing June 24… that’s like forever. The boat thing sounds sketchy, like who rents a pontoon and loses track of someone that fast?
I saw a post earlier that said she fell in and they couldn’t find her, but now it’s “cause of death determined.” Isn’t that basically the same thing? Like she’s not gonna miraculously be alive, ya know.
It says K9 and sonar and helicopters and all that, and still 6 days… makes you wonder if they weren’t searching the right spot or if the water was too deep. Also why are they asking for “anyone with information” if they already recovered the body? I’m not trying to be rude, I just don’t get it.