On Saturday, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office received a report that Ray Cornett, a 96-year-old man described as an “endangered person,” had gone missing near his home in Lutz, about 15 miles north of Tampa.
The area around Cornett’s home is swampy and covered with trees and other overgrowth, with temperatures expected to reach nearly 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Finding Cornett quickly was critical.
Bodycam footage posted by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office on social media showed deputies arriving at the scene around 6 p.m. Saturday. By 6:11, K-9 Officer Boomer had been leashed and introduced to Cornett’s scent through sniffing his belongings.
Boomer quickly located Cornett within minutes of the initial search. At 6:21, the handler exclaimed, “He’s right here!”
Cornett was found approximately 200 yards from his home and returned safely without injuries.
