By Tim Binnall
A drowning death over the holiday weekend has reignited rumors surrounding a lake in Georgia that boasts an eerie reputation for being haunted due to the seemingly inordinate number of tragedies that have occurred at the site. According to a local media report, Jose Camarillo was visiting the state's Lake Lanier on Sunday afternoon when he drowned due to circumstances that have yet to be determined by authorities. Although the man's passing was one of seven such deaths in the various waterways of Georgia over the long weekend, this particular incident raised eyebrows in light of the lake's dark history and the spooky tales attached to the location.
Created in the 1950s when a torrent of water was purposely unleashed upon a small community that had been acquired and evacuated by the US Army Corps of Engineers, Lake Lanier has long been rumored to be either cursed or haunted due its odd origin story and how cemeteries were among the sites flooded during the process decades ago. While the department has tried to downplay the ghostly nature of what lies at the bottom of the lake by insisting that the property was "mostly farmland," many believe that the spirits of those buried in the long lost town are none too pleased with their graves being submerged.
The manifestation of this suspected displeasure comes in the form of over 200 people who have reportedly perished in the lake either by way of swimming mishaps or boating accidents at the site since 1994. Over time, the staggering death toll gave rise to the fairly widespread theory that the site is haunted by those buried beneath it and, as is often the case with such urban legends, there is even a specific spirit known as the 'Lady of the Lake,' who is said to roam its shores. While the investigation into Camarillo's death will likely determine that it was due to a tragic turn of prosaic events, those who believe that dark forces inhabit the site will no doubt point to his passing as further proof of their presence.