Desi Deschaine, a gay rights advocate
and communications director for D.C. Councilman Jack Evans, was found
dead Tuesday in Baltimore's inner harbor, the Washington Post
reported.
Authorities say they believe Deschaine
drowned. His body was recovered from the harbor Tuesday.
“We were able to find him today two
boats slips down from where he was reported missing,” Baltimore
police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi told the paper.
Deschaine was last seen on Sunday about
10:30PM. Baltimore police say friends reported the 30-year-old was
missing about 10AM Monday. Authorities gave no explanation for the
12-hour delay. A Facebook entry said he was heading off for a boat
trip with friends Sunday afternoon.
Friends say there were 9 people on the
boat and alcohol was involved. They noticed Deschaine's absence but
said they “thought he had walked off and would return,” said Lee
Brian Reba, a friend of Deschaine's and deputy chief of staff to D.C.
Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray, a Democrat.
Councilman Evan called Deschaine “a
bright, bubbly, enthusiastic, and wonderful person who you just could
not help but love,” in a statement.
Family, friends and colleagues held a
vigil for Deschaine Tuesday night in the District's Logan Circle.