The body of a man who had been missing since last October was found in a Massachusetts lake Wednesday.
The Worcester County District Attorney’s Office said Leonard Mercury, 57, of Acton, was last seen leaving Heywood Hospital in Gardner shortly before 2 a.m. on Oct. 31, 2025. The Gardner Police Department initially conducted search efforts for him but was unsuccessful in locating him.
Several other searches were conducted in the following months by multiple other agencies including the Westminster Police Department, the Massachusetts Environmental Police, and the Massachusetts State Police dive team, special emergency response team, marine and K-9 units.
Gardner police conducted an aerial search of Crystal Lake on March 25 using drone technology in connection to Mercury’s, and the drones revealed what appeared to be a human body floating in the water, according to officials.
State police divers recovered the body, which has since been identified as Mercury.
The chief medical examiner’s office will determine the cause and manner of Mercury’s death, officials added.
It’s unclear at this time why he left Heywood Hospital, how he ended up in the lake and how long he’s been dead.
This incident remains under investigation by state and local police, as well as the district attorney’s office.
Source: News – Boston – necn
