Purdue Student's Body Found In Indiana Lake
MONTICELLO, Ind. (WCCO/AP) -- The body of college student from the Twin Cities has been found in a northern Indiana lake two days after he was last seen going swimming during a party with friends.
WLFI-TV of Lafayette reports that the Carroll County Sheriff's Department says 22-year-old Sean Matti's body was spotted Tuesday morning floating about 30 yards from the shore of Lake Freeman near Monticello.
Matti, 22, of Shoreview, Minn., was a student at Purdue University.
Friends of Matti's told authorities they last saw him swimming around 5 p.m. that night.
According to the Carroll County Sheriff's Office, his friends spent about 6 hours looking for him and then called for help.
Officers say Sean Matti had been drinking before he disappeared.
Divers searched the area close to shore by foot and authorities searched the lake with a boat equipped with sonar. They also went door to door talking with people in the neighborhood and police brought in a canine team to search around the lake.
WCCO interviewed Matti when he played football for Roseville Area High School in 2006. He's now a senior at Purdue and is a fifth year walk-on on the football team.
Purdue Athletic Director Morgan Burke and football coach Danny Hope both released statements about the matter on Tuesday.
"On behalf of the entire Purdue Boilermaker family, our hearts go out to Sean's family – Frank and Karen, Samantha, Kyle and Amanda – and all those who knew and loved him," Burke said. "It is during difficult times like these that families must unite to grow stronger, and we extend our hands out to help however we can.
"Purdue football is a family, and I am terribly saddened by the loss of one of our young men," Hope said. "Sally's and my prayers continue to go out to Sean's family and all his friends and loved ones. He was a special young man whose positive spirit will be a part of our program forever."
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