Good Samaritan's Body Found 3 Days After He Went Missing: Sheriff

APOLLO BEACH, FL — The body of a man who is considered a hero by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office because of his attempt to save a son and father Friday evening when a current swept them away in Apollo Beach was found early Monday afternoon on a man-made island, authorities said.

Preliminary evidence has identified the body of a man discovered in the Apollo Beach area as 27-year-old Kristoff Murray, a Good Samaritan, who jumped in the waters of Ap0llo Beach Nature Preserve Friday to save a father and son before they unfortunately drowned that night.

Murray was found by Hillsborough County Zoning and Maritime Safety on a spoil island west of the TECO Power Plant in Apollo Beach at 12:41 p.m.

With the assistance of the HCSO rescue teams along with the U.S. Coast Guard, Tampa Police, and Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, Janosh Purackal, 37, and his son Daniel Purackal, 3, were found in the water at approximately 9 p.m., Friday. Janosh Purackal was pronounced dead when he was found. Daniel Purackal was transported to a local hospital, where he died. According to witnesses, the two were wading in the water at the nature preserve, when a strong current swept them further into the water. Murray went into the water in an attempt to save them.

“Since Friday night’s tragedy, we put an extensive amount of resources into our search, because we wanted to provide this brave man's family with the same amount of hope he gave to a father and son in their time of need," Sheriff Chronister said. “His actions were nothing short of heroic. While this is not the outcome anyone wanted, I hope that with this finding, Mr. Murray's family will get some form of closure.”

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