Nineteen-year-old Owen Tillman Kenney, a freshman at the College of Charleston, has tragically been found dead in the waters near Patriots Point in Charleston, South Carolina, nearly a week after going missing in the early hours of Halloween. The recovery ends the desperate search for a young life full of promise, and brings a somber closure to a family in grief.
Kenney had been reported missing on November 1 after being last seen by friends at around 2 a.m. on October 31 near King Street and Burns Lane, a location described by loved ones as “just minutes from his house.” Investigators later reviewed video footage and cellphone-data which placed him walking alone onto the pedestrian walkway of the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge around 3:49 a.m., where they determined he took his own life.
At approximately 8:45 a.m. on November 8, harbor-patrol units along with the Mount Pleasant Police Department, Charleston County Rescue and the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a body in the water near Patriots Point. The Coroner’s Office subsequently confirmed the body as Owen Kenney. In a November 8 news release, the Charleston Police Department announced the body’s recovery and offered condolences to the Kenney family.
Kenney hailed from Tinton Falls, New Jersey, and graduated from Red Bank Catholic High School in 2024. He transferred to the College of Charleston in January 2025 and was midway through his second semester. Initially it was reported he might have been wearing a Boston Celtics jersey as part of a Halloween costume, but investigators later clarified he was seen in a black hooded jacket, light-colored pants and black Nike sneakers with white soles when captured on the bridge.
“We hope this recovery brings some measure of closure to a family experiencing unimaginable loss,” said Charleston Police Chief Chito Walker in a statement. He also asked the public to continue respecting the privacy of the Kenney family during this difficult time. Meanwhile, the College of Charleston administration urged students and staff who may be affected by the tragedy to reach out for support through the Counseling Center or affiliated mental-health services.
While the official autopsy report is still pending, law-enforcement sources say detectives have concluded Owen’s death was self-inflicted after he left the bridge walkway alone. The investigation has now shifted fully from a hasty search to a somber recovery-and-support phase. Known as a polite, friendly young man with academic hopes, Kenney’s loss has sent shockwaves through both his New Jersey hometown community and his new college campus in Charleston, uniting classmates, neighbors and strangers in grief and remembrance.
If you or someone you know is experiencing emotional distress or suicidal thoughts, you’re encouraged to call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988—they’re available 24/7.