Jose M. Urbina Contreras, 24, of Long Branch, had apparently walked through a trail in the park to reach the Swimming River reservoir within Thompson Park, which is located along the border of the park and Brookdale Community College, on Saturday evening, July 29, Middletown Police Chief Craig Weber said.
A search was launched immediately, and Contreras' body was found submerged in approximately 20 feet of water about 50 feet from the water’s edge, on Sunday morning, July 30, by divers from the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office Maritime Emergency Response Team (MERT).
The Middletown Police Department, Middletown Fire Departments, Middletown EMS and Middletown OEM, the Monmouth County Sheriff's Office - Campus Protection Unit, Drone Unit, MERT and OEM, the Monmouth County Parks System, Holmdel OEM - Drone Unit, New Jersey State Police - Aviation and the Colts Neck Police Department assisted in the search.
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