A young man who died after jumping into a lake has been identified as a 24-year-old Georgia college graduate.
On Thursday, May 14, Jayden Barreto was celebrating college graduation with his friends at Lake Martin when tragedy struck. He jumped from Chimney Rock and never resurfaced, according to Elmore County Sheriff Bill Franklin. Franklin confirmed to local outlets, including AL.com, 11Alive and the Montgomery Advertiser that Jayden Barreto of Columbus, Ga., died after jumping from Chimney Rock into the lake below.
By 9:45 p.m. local time that evening, dive teams had located Barreto’s body on a “shelf” 50 feet below the water surface. The sheriff said that the water underneath the rock was about 150 feet deep. According to Franklin, the jump off of Chimney Rock can be like “hitting a sheet of glass from 60 feet up” if a person hits the water incorrectly, adding that it “all depends on how your body hits the water.”
View 3 ImagesTeams searching Lake Martin(Image: Montgomery Fire/Rescue)
“Crews worked alongside multiple partner agencies in a coordinated and extended search effort under challenging conditions,”
Montgomery Fire Rescue said in a statement. “This afternoon, Montgomery Fire Rescue responded to a request for assistance involving a missing swimmer at Chimney Rock. Crews worked alongside multiple partner agencies in a coordinated and extended search effort under challenging conditions.
“Montgomery Fire Rescue deployed six divers to conduct systematic search operations. After several hours in the water, the missing individual was located.
“We want to sincerely thank our partners from the Elmore County Sheriff’s Office, Delta Division Dive Team, ALEA, Montgomery EMA, and Elmore EMA for their professionalism, support, and teamwork throughout the incident. Our thoughts are with the family and loved ones during this difficult time.”
View 3 ImagesUniversity of Georgia graduate Jayden Barreto, 24, died after jumping from Chimney Rock into Lake Martin, authorities said(Image: Montgomery Fire/Rescue)
Franklin added: “We have nothing that points to this being anything but a tragic accident, where the young man drowned. But we are conducting an investigation.”
Barreto graduated from the University of Georgia in 2025, the school confirmed to WSB-TV. He received a Bachelor of Business Administration in management information systems and a Bachelor of Science in psychology.
Many of his friends shared their condolences with his family members in comments underneath his obituary. One wrote: “Jayden was a pure light in this world. He was truly loved by everyone and will be missed. I am so sorry for his family’s loss.”.
Article continues below
Another said: “My prayers and condolences go out to the Barreto family. My heart is heavy; Jayden was a great person, classmate, and friend.”