An off-duty Pueblo police officer was found dead hours after disappearing while wakeboarding at a Colorado state park.
Corporal Stephen Biggs, 41, was discovered early Monday in Lake Pueblo State Park following an overnight search, according to the Pueblo Police Department. The veteran officer had been reported missing Sunday evening at approximately 5:30 p.m. Local time after vanishing while out on his wakeboard.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife deployed an underwater robot to locate Biggs, whose body was ultimately recovered from nearly 50 feet of water. The search stretched through the night before the grim discovery was made.
Biggs had served with the department since 2010 and was an experienced member of its SWAT team. Over his distinguished career, he accumulated 10 letters of commendation, three Medal of Valor awards, and the Distinguished Service award, the department noted.
“Working with Stephen was an honor, and his loss is deeply personal,” Pueblo Police Department Chief Chris Noeller said in a news release.
“His courage, dedication, and commitment to his fellow officers meant so much to our department. I was proud to serve with him, and I will miss him. My heart is with his family, his friends, and everyone in our department who is grieving his loss,” he continued.
In the hours before the fatal accident, photographs appearing to show Biggs with his partner and daughter aboard a boat circulated on social media. The images captured what would be the family’s final moments together on the water.
As a mark of respect, Biggs’ patrol car was parked at police department headquarters. Family and loved ones were photographed embracing beside the vehicle and leaving flowers and tributes, according to local reports.
The circumstances surrounding the wakeboarding accident remain under investigation, and no additional details have been released by authorities.