Body of Gillis Lake Drowning Victim Found

Body found Friday after his canoe capsized on Wednesday.

BWCA, MINN. –On Friday, June 23, the body of Lester Jay Hochstetler, 18, of Clear Lake Wisconsin, was recovered from Gillis Lake where he had been canoeing with 3 other men.

Hochstetler was missing after a canoe capsized late on the evening of Wednesday, June 21. Gillis Lake is in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW).

The Cook County Sheriff’s Office 911 dispatch received a call at 6:44 p.m. Wednesday evening, reporting that fishermen on Gillis Lake had overturned their canoe and one of the canoeists never resurfaced.

One of the individuals swam to shore, but Hochstetler was reported missing. Authorities say he was not wearing a personal flotation device.

Gillis Lake is located approximately 4 miles west of Round Lake and Tuscarora Lodge & Canoe Outfitters in Cook County.

Assisting the Cook County Sheriff’s Office were Cook County Search and Rescue, St. Louis County Search and Rescue, USFS, and Gunflint First Responders.