A 24-year-old Georgia college graduate has died after jumping into an Alabama lake while celebrating his graduation. Jayden Barreto, from Columbus, Georgia, was with friends at Lake Martin on May 14 when he jumped from Chimney Rock and never resurfaced, according to Elmore County Sheriff Bill Franklin.
Franklin confirmed to local outlets that Barreto died after the jump. Dive teams located his body on a shelf 50 feet below the water surface by 9:45 p.m. that evening. The sheriff noted that the water beneath the rock is approximately 150 feet deep and described the impact of a jump from Chimney Rock as similar to hitting a sheet of glass from 60 feet up, depending on how the body enters the water.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Montgomery Fire Rescue deployed six divers in a coordinated search effort. In a statement, the agency said, 'Crews worked alongside multiple partner agencies in a coordinated and extended search effort under challenging conditions. After several hours in the water, the missing individual was located.' They thanked partners including the Elmore County Sheriff's Office, Delta Division Dive Team, ALEA, Montgomery EMA, and Elmore EMA for their teamwork.
Investigation and Background
Franklin stated, '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 with a Bachelor of Business Administration in management information systems and a Bachelor of Science in psychology, the school confirmed to WSB-TV.
Friends shared condolences on his obituary, with one writing, 'Jayden was a pure light in this world. He was truly loved by everyone and will be missed.' Another said, 'My prayers and condolences go out to the Barreto family. My heart is heavy; Jayden was a great person, classmate, and friend.'
