Tennessee, February 21: On Thursday, February 15, the body of a 35-year-old police officer was discovered at the bottom of a river, a day after he made his first arrest in the United States. Together with the police cruiser, the body of Robert John Leonard, a recently hired Tennessee deputy sheriff, and the woman he had detained were found in the river. The cops responded to a 911 call on Valentine's Day at approximately 10 pm regarding a man and a woman arguing on a bridge. Leonard then drove the woman back to the police station while taking her into custody.

The cop informed his wife via text shortly after the arrest that it was his first, but she never replied to him. Before the two vanished, Leonard had specified "water" in his final communication to his police station. US Cops Shot Dead: Three Police Officers Gunned Down in Washington, Leading to Daylong Standoff Before Suspect's Arrest.

After unsuccessful attempts to get in touch with Leonard, a search was started later that evening. The automobile was recovered from the bottom of the Tennessee River on Thursday after police used satellite tracking to find it. Inside the car lay the body of Tabitha Smith, the woman Leonard had detained. The policeman's body was discovered next to the automobile on the riverbank, with the driver's seat window pulled down. Police suspect Leonard was texting and talking on the radio while driving down an unfamiliar route, however it is unknown how the car fell into the river. US Shocker: Woman Found Dead Wrapped in Plastic in Boyfriend’s Fridge After Going Missing Five Months Ago.

In December, Leonard became a member of the police force. According to his obituary, he had been a construction worker for a long time and had lately moved to Tennessee with his wife and five children to pursue his lifelong ambition of becoming a police officer. Today is a difficult day for us here. Something we in Meigs County never have to deal with. We're a small, rural county, we're not used to it, Chief Brian Malone of the Meigs County Sheriff's Office told local reporters.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 21, 2024 12:58 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).