Body found amid recovery mission for woman who fell off WaveRunner in Lake Houston, HPD says

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- An investigation is underway after search crews found a woman's body who matched the description of a woman who fell off a WaveRunner early Tuesday afternoon in Lake Houston, according to police.

On Tuesday, police say a group of family and friends were gathered at Deussen Park for a picnic and some fun on the water when the incident occurred.

"Right now, the reports are some had flotation devices on and some did not," HPD Captain Kenneth Campbell said. "One of the people without, at the very back, fell off the jet ski. They did not come out of the water. The people operating the jet ski searched the area and called 911."

At one point, the Houston Police Department, the Harris County Sheriff's Office, and other first responders had a total of 10 boats on the water searching for the victim. HPD Dive Team members have been using Sonar technology to help locate the young woman.

The dive team has been focused on a recovery mission ever since, and says they found a body that matched the description of the missing woman on Thursday, according to HPD.

The identification of the body is pending verification by the medical examiner's office.

The family of 20-year-old Ashley Gil says they were told it was her. In an interview with ABC13 on Thursday, Gil's loved ones described her as someone who was joyful and easily got along with everyone. They told us she was very intelligent and had a very innocent demeanor.

Gil's partner, Jason Rogriguez, told ABC13 that he was out of town working when he received a message on social media from one of the people who was with her at Lake Houston, saying she disappeared.

"My motive here is understanding everything that happened," Rodriguez said. "Kind of right away... right away got a sense that something's not right."

Rodriguez and Gil's family say a man fishing near the group on Tuesday got hold of them and told them he felt the group Gil was with had no sense of urgency to find her.

This is what Rodriguez says the fisherman recounted to him about what he says happened.

"To be honest with you, they didn't even pay attention. They didn't even know when they lost her ... where they lost her, they looked like they didn't even care," Rodriguez said.

ABC13 spoke to the fisherman on Wednesday. He recounted what he saw and said he was the one who called for help.

Rodriguez says he last spoke to his significant other on Tuesday around noon when she sent him a video of her on a WaveRunner while wearing a life vest. In the video, you can see Gil and another woman.

Rodriguez says the same woman in the video was on the WaveRunner with a man and Gil when Gil vanished.

ABC13 blurred out that woman's face because police have not indicated they suspect foul play in this case.

Investigators say witnesses say that when she disappeared on board with those two other people, she was not wearing a life vest.

HPD on Thursday evening confirmed they are looking into the circumstances of Gil's death. Police say they are awaiting the autopsy report from the medical examiner's office.

Authorities warn people that as more make it out to the area waterways this summer, please wear a life jacket.

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