Eric Langlois, the 33-year-old father of two who disappeared June 11 in Lake Lillinonah, died of accidental asphyxia by submersion, according to the state medical examiner’s office.
Authorities recovered a body from the lake on Tuesday, not far from the area where authorities had been searching for the missing photographer, a state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection spokesman said.
The body was found near a boat launch off North Lake Lillinonah Road, across the lake from Lovers Leap State Park, which had been the focus of a search for Langlois, of New Milford. He was reported missing June 11 in the rain-swollen lake.
A homeowner spotted the body from a dock at 100 Lake Lillinonah Road North about 11:40 a.m. Tuesday, DEEP spokesman Dwayne Gardner said. Local firefighters, state police and DEEP Environmental Conservation Police responded.
Two DEEP police officers recovered the body and brought it to the town dock with the assistance of the fire department’s boat, Gardner said.
DEEP, the state police dive team and local agencies searched for Langlois for several days but scaled that effort back when conditions became dangerous.
Langlois apparently went into the water at Lovers Leap State Park, which is in New Milford.
His wife told police that Langlois had fallen off his mountain bike Monday and that he and his bike had gone into the lake. His wife said Langlois went back to the lake Tuesday to see if he could retrieve his bike and did not return home.