Florida Keys

Man drowns while swimming off island in the Florida Keys, deputies say

Edward Eugene Stills, 50, drowned after diving into shallow water near Marvin Key, Monroe County.
Edward Eugene Stills, 50, drowned after diving into shallow water near Marvin Key, Monroe County. Getty Images

A man died Saturday afternoon while swimming in the Florida Keys, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.

Edward Eugene Stills, 50, of Asheville, North Carolina, was near Marvin Key around 3:15 p.m. when observers noticed that he dove into shallow water. He was found unresponsive in the water.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials brought Stills ashore. He was taken to Stock Island’s Lower Keys Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Marvin Key, 10 to 15 miles northeast of Key West, is an uninhabited island off the Lower Keys popular with weekend boaters for its beaches and sandbars.

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Michael Butler
Miami Herald
Michael Butler writes about minority business and trends that affect marginalized professionals in South Florida. As a business reporter for the Miami Herald, he tells inclusive stories that reflect South Florida’s diversity. Just like Miami’s diverse population, Butler, a Temple University graduate, has both local roots and a Panamanian heritage.
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