The morning of July 4, family members of David Sharp, 78, reported him missing from his Lucy Creek, Lady's Island residence. Sharp’s family advised that they saw him the previous night before they went to bed, but could not find him when they woke in the morning.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>

Sharp’s family indicated that he may have gone out on his dock, after they went to bed last night.

Beaufort County Sheriff's Office deputies searched the area surrounding Sharp's home and his dock, but were unable to locate him. Deputies called for the Sheriff's Office Aviation Unit — helicopter — to respond and assist in the search.

Within minutes, the Aviation Unit's helicopter was in flight over the Lucy Creek area, where its tactical flying officer and pilot observed a human body submerged in the water in proximity to Sharp’s dock.
The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) was notified and responded with one of its boats. SCDNR personnel recovered the body of an adult male — identified a short time later as David Sharp by the Beaufort County Coroner's Office — from Lucy Creek.

Initially, there were no indications of foul play in the disappearance/death of Sharp. A forensic autopsy was to be performed at the Medical University of South Carolina to aid in the determination of the cause of Sharp's death.