San Angelo Police Release More Details on Drownings of Man and Grandson

SAN ANGELO, TX - The San Angelo Police Department has identified the victims involved in Friday’s drowning near Lake Nasworthy as 61-year-old Ronald Strain and his four-year-old grandson, Braxton Jewel. Previously, Police reported they thought the boy was possibly 5 years old.

Public Information Officer Tracy Gonzalez, said, on Friday, at approximately 6:16 p.m., San Angelo Public Safety Communications received a call about a possible dead body in the water near the lake’s Spillway, 1800 Beaty Road. The location is on the low side of Lake Nasworthy (see original story here).

"Lake Officer T. Berrie responded to the location and met with the caller, who said he came to the area to fish when he noticed what appeared to be a body in the water," said Officer Gonzalez.

She added that, upon further inspection, Officer Berrie located a second body at the shoreline close to an area of moss-covered rocks that are partially submerged in shallow, flowing water. Evidence at the scene indicates the victims likely slipped and fell into the water while attempting to cross the moss-covered rocks.

"Officer Berrie initiated a recovery operation, requesting assistance from the Department’s Criminal Investigations Division, Crime Scene Investigations, and San Angelo Fire Department personnel," noted Gonzalez. "Justice of the Peace Judge Fred Buck responded and formally pronounced both victims deceased with the approximate time of death as 1:00 p.m. The victims were later transported to Lubbock for autopsy."

Just before 7:00 p.m., Gonzalez said Strain’s daughter called Police dispatch to report she was concerned about her father, who failed to pick her up from work. Her concern grew after she noticed fishing equipment missing from the home and said neither her father nor her nephew [Jewel] knew how to swim.