CALHOUN: Body of missing Milton teen found near Pere Marquette Park

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Illinois Conservation Police put in several boats in an attempt to find Bryar DeJaynes who went missing last week from a boat launch just north of the Pearl railroad bridge. CPOs officers and dozens of volunteers who also looked for DeJaynes used a privately owned boat ramp, just south of the bridge. DeJaynes’ wrecked boat and body was found Thursday morning by a fisherman, near Grafton. (Beth Zumwalt/River County News)

By BETH ZUMWALT

After three days and hundreds of man hours, the body of Bryar DeJaynes, 19, Milton, was found in the Illinois River, near Pere Marquette River. The body was discovered by a local fisherman who was out assisting with the search. He was the son of Kevin and Sara Booth DeJaynes. DeJaynes had spoken to his grandfather Randy Booth, about 5:30 p.m. and told the older man he was going on to try and fish in the backwater.
After no one heard from him, and he missed out on some plans, the family started a search.
The official search began Monday, May 13, when DeJaynes’s pick-up truck and boat trailer were found just north of the Pearl Railroad tracks.
Officials from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the Pike County Sheriff’s Office, the Pike County Emergency Management Agency, Tri-Township Fire Department from Adams County and countless volunteers spent all-day Tuesday and Wednesday, searching the river, river banks and islands that were not underwater. The Illinois River was well above flood stage when the search began.
In addition to boats, sonar, airplanes and drones, dozens of people walked the river bank hoping to find DeJaynes or the two dogs that were with him. The pings that came from his phone gave conflicting information. The body of one of the dogs was found with DeJaynes.
The family still has questions and any one with information about DeJaynes final hours are asked to contact his family.
A funeral service was held Monday morning at Greenpond Church near Milton with burial in the adjoining cemetery.