Police say video showed Owen Tillman Kenney walking onto the Ravenel Bridge before dawn on Oct. 31.
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Authorities recovered the body of Owen Tillman Kenney, a 19-year-old College of Charleston student reported missing on Nov. 1, from waters near Patriots Point on Saturday morning, Nov. 8. Police said marine and rescue units responded around 8:45 a.m. after a report of a body in the water.
Kenney’s disappearance drew a week of searches across the Charleston peninsula and Charleston Harbor. Police had announced two days earlier that newly reviewed video confirmed Kenney walked alone onto the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge and took his own life at 3:49 a.m. on Oct. 31. Saturday’s recovery closes the active search and shifts the case to identification and final reporting. The Charleston County Coroner’s Office confirmed the identity. The College of Charleston and city officials expressed condolences and said support services are available to students and staff affected by the loss.
Investigators said Kenney was last seen by friends around 2 a.m. Oct. 31 near King Street and Burns Lane, a nightlife corridor about a mile from the Cooper River. Detectives later tracked him to the bridge’s pedestrian entrance and onto the span through surveillance footage gathered from city cameras and nearby businesses. His phone’s last signal also placed him in that area before it powered off, according to police. “We hope this recovery brings some measure of closure to a family experiencing unimaginable loss,” Police Chief Chito Walker said on Saturday. He thanked local, state and federal partners that assisted in the effort and asked the public to respect the family’s privacy.
Saturday’s operation brought Charleston Police Harbor Patrol, Mount Pleasant Police, Charleston County Rescue, and the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office to the water at Patriots Point, a marina and museum complex on the Mount Pleasant side of the harbor. The recovery followed days of shoreline and water searches that included K-9 teams, underwater recovery specialists, drones, and aviation support. Police said the video evidence obtained this week provided a clear timeline from 3:49 a.m. on the bridge, narrowing the search zone in the Cooper River. The coroner confirmed the body recovered Saturday was Kenney. Officials said additional findings, such as autopsy and toxicology results, would be handled through standard procedures and were not immediately available.
Kenney, originally from Red Bank, N.J., was a recent Red Bank Catholic High School graduate who transferred to the College of Charleston in January and was in his second semester as a freshman this fall. His disappearance on Halloween morning sparked campus alerts, social media posts, and volunteer interest from classmates and family friends from New Jersey. Police previously corrected early details about his clothing, saying footage showed him in a black hooded jacket, light-colored pants, and black Nike sneakers as he approached the bridge. Authorities emphasized there was no evidence of foul play and said the investigation focused on confirming movements and coordinating a safe, thorough recovery.
The Charleston Police Department said its case file will be finalized after the coroner completes post-recovery steps. No criminal charges are expected. Police plan to compile a full timeline and release it as a public record once reports are closed. The College of Charleston said counseling services remain available through its student wellness center; the university has also been in contact with Kenney’s family about memorial arrangements, which were not announced. Any additional public updates are expected this week as agencies document Saturday’s recovery and complete required notifications.
On the harbor Saturday, rescue boats idled near the marina as weekend visitors walked past Patriots Point’s piers and museum ships. A light breeze carried the sound of halyards against masts while officers loaded equipment back onto trailers. Students who gathered on the Mount Pleasant shoreline spoke quietly and embraced. “It’s heartbreaking,” said sophomore Lily Hernandez, who lives in a residence hall downtown. “Everyone’s been checking on their friends. We’re thinking about his family.” A man who watched from a nearby dock offered a quiet thank-you to the crews as they left.
As of Sunday afternoon, police said the search phase had ended and identification was complete. The next expected update is a brief from the Charleston County Coroner’s Office once routine reviews are finished and records are filed.
Author note: Last updated November 9, 2025.