A Southern California college student who went missing in a popular mountain town over the weekend has been found dead in Big Bear Lake.
Tanner Prentiss, 22, was last seen on May 17 at around 12:30 a.m. in Big Bear Lake, California, according to the city’s sheriff station. Search crews located his body in the water Monday shortly before 10:30 a.m. near the city’s Pine Knot Marina.
CBS News reported that deputies searching the lake from a helicopter spotted Prentiss’ body, which was then recovered by a dive team. Deputies are investigating how Prentiss ended up in the water, the outlet reported.
No foul play is suspected and his cause of death is under investigation by the coroner’s office, the Big Bear Sheriff Station confirmed on Facebook.
22-year-old Tanner Prentiss went missing on May 17, 2025 in Big Bear Lake and was found dead on May 19, 2025.
The University of California at Santa Barbara student visited the lake with a group of friends, who reported him missing after he failed to return to their rental cabin, according to local stations KTLA and KABC.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to Tanner’s family, friends and all those who are affected by his loss. The family is requesting privacy as they navigate through this tragic incident,” the sheriff station wrote.
‘This loss is more than we can bear’
Prentiss’ grandmother, Marilyn Taylor, wrote on Facebook that her family is devastated by Tanner’s passing and thanked everyone who supported their family during this time.
“Tanner was the funny guy, always smiling, tons of friends, charismatic, responsible and a really good person. This loss is more than we can bear at this time,” she wrote.
In a statement, UC Santa Barbara called Tanner’s death “heartbreaking” for the entire university community and expressed condolences to his friends and families.
“We understand the impact and stress surrounding this tragedy and are committed to supporting our campus community who may be impacted,” the school said in a statement shared with USA TODAY. “Our campus offers resources to students, staff, and faculty who are in need of support.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Missing California student found dead in lake after group trip
