The death of Crawford man found in a Lowndes County catfish pond Wednesday has been ruled a drowning.
Lowndes County Coroner Greg Merchant told The Dispatch on Saturday that an autopsy performed Thursday on Johnson Swoope concluded the 74-year-old died of drowning.
The coroner said it appears Swoope was driving his Ford Ranger around the catfish ponds when his pickup entered the water. No foul play is suspected.
The case began Wednesday, when the manager of the catfish ponds along Gilmer Wilburn Road in southern Lowndes County discovered Swoope’s body about 12:30 p.m. and called authorities. The body was removed from the water about 2 p.m. Roughly two hours later, authorities removed Swoope’s pickup from the water.
Swoope had been last seen Sunday evening in Artesia, Merchant said.
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