Jocelyn Wilson’s mysterious death on Lake Oconee continues to raise questions as new details emerge about her final moments. The Spelman College instructor, who was found dead on February 9, had taken several photos on her cellphone while on a boat with her fiancé, Gary Jones, shortly before both of their phones stopped transmitting signals.
According to Georgia’s Department of Natural Resources, Wilson, 49, was discovered a day after an unmanned boat was seen circling near Wallace Dam. When her body was recovered, she was still holding her cellphone, WSB-TV reported.
Authorities now confirm that Wilson took at least seven photos in the moments leading up to her death. Sheriff Howard Sills told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the images were captured after Wilson and Jones left the hotel they had checked into on February 8 but before the tragic incident on the lake. The final photo was taken at 4:59 p.m. that day.
“We don’t know what happened after that,” Sills said, noting that no further transmissions were recorded from Wilson’s phone.
Jones’ phone last pinged at 5:01 p.m., just two minutes after Wilson’s last known photo. More than 20 minutes later, authorities were alerted to the empty boat drifting on the lake. The next day, Wilson’s body was found about a mile away, and Jones’ shoes were discovered nearby.
Investigators have not yet been able to determine what Wilson’s final images contain, as the U.S. Secret Service has been unable to unlock her phone. The device is now being sent to the Department of Corrections headquarters in Forsyth, where experts will attempt to access its contents.
Wilson and Jones had recently reconnected and were engaged to be married, according to a childhood friend. The couple had been celebrating Jones’ 50th birthday when tragedy struck.
Adding to the mystery, officers recovered Jones’ wallet, driver’s license, credit cards, a hotel key card, and even a piece of birthday cake inside a bag on the boat, WSB-TV reported.
After an extensive search, efforts to locate Jones were officially suspended on March 3. Authorities continue to investigate, but for now, Wilson’s final moments remain an unsettling mystery.