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Friends Fear Body Found In Lake May Be Missing Man

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By RAY REYES, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 2, 2008

Updated: 02/02/2008 02:02 pm

CARROLLWOOD - Divers were expected to return Saturday afternoon to a pond where residents found a body partially submerged in a lake Friday at Countrywood Apartments, less than a mile from where a missing martial arts enthusiast was last seen.

Hillsborough County Sheriff's Maj. Harold Winsett said it will take some time for the medical examiner's office to identify the body, which was pulled out of the water by dive teams about 5:30 p.m. Friday.

The body was discovered in an area less than a mile north of O'Brien's Irish Pub, 11744 N. Dale Mabry Highway, where Timothy "Chip" Chipley, 34, was last seen Sunday.

Divers "will complete their search that was initiated last night," Hillsborough sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter said Saturday morning.

Friends of Chipley mounted a search for him during the week and had planned a vigil for him Friday at the bar. Hearing about the discovery, several said they feared the body might be Chipley's because of the proximity to the Irish pub.

"We're hoping it's not," said Joe Nuccio, Chipley's boss and the owner of Nuccio Heating & Air Conditioning. "Tim's just a great young man. Very soft-spoken. Very easygoing. Everybody loves him."

Winsett confirmed Friday that the body's gender was male, but he would not speculate on the identity or the cause of death.

Eduardo Arguello, 52, a resident of the apartment complex who discovered the body, said it appeared similar to the description of Chipley he heard in news reports. Arguello said the body had a bald head and was clothed, although he couldn't describe the clothes. Chipley, who has a shaved head, a goatee and a tattoo on his right arm, was last seen wearing a button-down striped shirt, blue jeans and boots.

Chipley had trained for a trip to Thailand to practice a form of martial arts he loves, his friends said.

He got his tickets and passport months ago. He packed a week in advance for Wednesday morning's flight.

No one in his circle has seen or heard from Chipley since about 3 a.m. Sunday, when he paid his tab at O'Brien's, his regular Carrollwood bar.

Thursday morning, about a half-dozen friends and co-workers gathered outside O'Brien's to pick up handfuls of fliers to post.

Chipley attended Chamberlain High School and remained close with several childhood friends, said Julie Gates, his roommate's sister. She said his parents now live in Georgia.

Reporter Ray Reyes can be reached at (813) 865-4433 or rreyes@tampatrib.com.

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