WAUKEGAN, Ill. (WLS) — The search for Sailor Seamus Gray will expand Friday to include U.S. Naval investigators.
The Navy sailor hasn’t been seen in almost a week. Waukegan police say they’ve already covered miles of lakefront. Now, they are expanding that search.
For two straight days, authorities have searched the waters of Lake Michigan, beaches and lakefront, for the 21-year-old Florida native and Navy sailor assigned to Naval Station, Great Lakes in North Chicago.
Seamus Gray was last seen leaving the Ibiza Bar on Genessee Street Saturday morning. He was wearing a red shirt or jacket – and red pants.
Video showed Gray standing outside with friends, after managers of the bar said he appeared drunk and was asked to leave.
Minutes later, another camera shows him walking alone through an alley behind the bar.
Police give update on search for missing sailor
Police said he headed east toward the lake.
Waukegan police are now working with Naval investigators, NCIS as Gray’s mother Kerry struggles to maintain hope.
“He lives for his family, he lives for his God and he lives for his country,” she said. “He came here to fight for his country and now he is missing.”
Police said Gray left the bar around 1:30 a.m. and was supposed to report back to his base by 2 a.m.
‘He is my life’: Mother asks for help to find Navy sailor
Among those volunteering to help with the search was Ibiza’s manager. The bar shared surveillance video that shows Gray moments after being escorted outside to his friends. Gray, who is seen wearing red, had been there briefly earlier in the evening, around 10:30pm, they said. When he returned near closing time, he had been overserved, they bar added.
He’s last seen walking away, alone, from through a back alley behind the bar.
“We sat with his mom yesterday for over three hours at our business with the detectives. Went over all the footage,” said Ibiza Bar manager, Adrian Hernandez.
Although Hernandez said he doesn’t know for sure, he believes those pictured along with him were also sailors from Great Lakes.
From the sound on the video, they were talking about going back to the base,” Hernandez said.
Naval Station Great Lakes released a statement saying: “The Navy is aware that the Waukegan Police Department is conducting an investigation in an attempt to locate Fireman Recruit Seamus Gray, an active-duty service member assigned to Surface Warfare Engineering School Command Great Lakes. He was reported missing on March 21, 2023. The Great Lakes Naval Criminal Investigative Service office is assisting with the investigation.. Please direct all additional questions to the Waukegan Police Department. The Navy will continue to work with all law enforcement agencies involved in the case. Our thoughts are with Fireman Recruit Gray’s family during this difficult time.”
Waukegan Police now working with Naval investigators NCIS.
Police ask anyone with any information to call police immediately.
“I would like for anyone who has any information about my son Seamus to please come forward and please help me,” Kerry said.
As for why the missing person’s report was only filed on Tuesday when Seamus has been missing since early Saturday, Waukegan police said it was simply because it was not until then that authorities at the Naval Base received information that this is where he was last seen.
Authorities plan to search closer to the base around 9 a.m.
