Fort Myers Beach woman, 82, confirmed as latest Hurricane Ian victim after body recovered
Two days after news of a body recovered from the Fort Myers Beach mangroves began circulating, officials have confirmed its link to Hurricane Ian.
Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno provided the grim update during a Thursday news conference at the Lee County Sheriff's Office headquarters.
Marceno confirmed Ilonka Knes, 82, is the latest hurricane victim recovered.
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"Most of us have gotten back to a sense of the new normal," Marceno said. "For some, still missing their loved ones every day since the storm has been difficult."
On Oct. 7, a wellbeing check was called in for Ilonka Knes, Marceno said, adding that most homes in that area were completely destroyed.
"After several attempts to locate Ilonka, she was entered as a missing person on Oct. 15," Marceno said.
On Tuesday, remains were discovered off Tropical Shores Way on Fort Myers Beach, Marceno said. Workers with a debris removal company made the discovery deep within the mangroves.
"These areas are impassable on boat and they're not visible by the air," Marceno said. "Once they located the remains, they immediately called the Lee County Sheriff's Office."
Working through the night with the medical examiner's office, Marceno said, they were able to identify the remains as those of Ilonka Knes through dental records.
The medical examiner's office determined accidental drowning was Ilonka Knes' cause of death, Marceno said.
"She was one of two people still missing from Hurricane Ian," Marceno said. "I hope this discovery can bring the family some closure."
Knes was found about 800 feet away from her home, Marceno said.
Previously reported: Sister-in-law reported Ilonka Knes missing
Carol Zilic reported her sister-in-law missing on Oct. 15. Searchers found Ilonka Knes' husband, Robert Knes, 81, close to their Fort Myers Beach home, but Ilonka Knes remained missing.
Zilic had said she believed husband and wife were together the night of the hurricane and if he was swept away, there was a good chance she was as well.
According to a sheriff's office's report, deputies searched the residence and found it substantially damaged, with all of the windows and doors blown out and the inside gutted.
A large amount of debris was strewn about in the front yard, including what looked like someone's roof with shingles attached, reports indicate. Deputies reported smelling decay, but it was unclear what it was from. There was rotting food and trash around the residence.
Deputies, as well as members of the Fort Myers Beach Fire Rescue and the U.S. Army Reserve, searched the debris field, but found nothing at the time.
Prior to Ian's landfall, a neighbor saw a golden Jeep outside their home, which Zilic later confirmed was the Knes' handyman known as "Minnesota Rich."
Minnesota Rich stated he visited Knes' the day of the hurricane and asked them to evacuate, however, they refused. He gave Robert and Ilonka life jackets for the storm.
Marceno: Lee's Hurricane Ian death toll is 74
Marceno said the total death toll in Lee County from Hurricane Ian is 74. He added they've used technology, including drones and helicopters, to locate the missing people from the storm.
"Each number as I said, time and time again, is a loved one," Marceno said. "It's not just one or five. It's someone's family member."
Marceno also shared some hope for the community's recovery.
"As time moves forward, the scars left by Ian will remind us how far we've come," Marceno said.
One Lee Hurricane Ian victim still missing
Marceno said at the press conference that James Hurst, 72, is the only person still missing from the hurricane.
As previously reported in The News-Press, Shannon Vaughan reported her father missing Oct. 6 after he braved Ian on his sailboat in Fort Myers Beach.
During the storm, James Hurst lost contact with his family. They have since not heard from him.
The last time they heard from him was about 10:30 a.m. Sept. 28. The storm hit the beach about 3 p.m. that day.
He's described as 6-feet, 2-inches tall, white with gray hair, a goatee and blue eyes, with a scorpion tattoo on his arm. He's also known to wear an anchor necklace.
His boat's name was Good Girl Sailboat, usually docked at 290 Pearl Street, on Fort Myers Beach.
Tomas Rodriguez is a Breaking/Live News Reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. You can reach Tomas at TRodriguez@gannett.com or 772-333-5501. Connect with him on Twitter @TomasFRoBeltran, Instagram @tomasfrobeltran and Facebook @tomasrodrigueznews.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Woman, 82, identified as latest Hurricane Ian fatality, LCSO says
