St. Lucie County - Monday January 15, 2024: After nearly week-long search, the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit recovered the body of missing fisherman Brian Ronshausen Friday afternoon from the Fort Pierce Inlet near Jetty Park.
The 50-year-old Ronshausen was last seen Monday January 8th, when he launched his skiff from the Stan Blum boat ramp about 11 p.m.
A few hours later, early Tuesday morning, a concerned boater called 911 at 3 a.m. to report finding Ronshausen's unoccupied Carolina Skiff floating north of the North Beach Bridge, in the channel, near the Riverside Marina in the Fort Pierce Inlet.
The Coast Guard launched two search boats and conducted a helicopter search Tuesday. USCG Petty Officer 3rd Class Nicholas Strasburg told WQCS that waders, a cell phone, and other personal items were on board, but here was no indication of where Ronshausen was, or what might have happened to him. They called off their search Wednesday evening.
The cause of death remains under investigation.