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A missing 19-year-old former college student from Maine, who vanished two months prior, was discovered deceased on Tuesday in a pond close to his residential complex, as reported by local authorities.
Chance Lauer was last observed on January 19 at the Orchard Trail Apartments in Orono, the place he called home, according to a news release from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife that was issued during the search efforts.
When Lauer went missing, his wallet was left behind in his room and his phone was switched off, the Orono Police Department noted earlier. It was also highlighted that Lauer did not possess a vehicle.
Authorities stated that the discovery of a body in the pond occurred after a citizen alerted the police on Tuesday. The Maine Warden Service assisted in the recovery, and the body was later confirmed to be Lauer.
On March 17, 2026, the Orono Police Department confirmed that the body of 19-year-old Chance Lauer was found in a pond near his apartment complex in Orono, Maine.
Police said “at this point there is nothing suspicious about the death,” though they did not indicate how Lauer died. An autopsy was pending.
According to FOX22 Bangor, an individual who identified as a family member of Lauer wrote on social media Wednesday that “he was recovered from a pond near his Orono apartment yesterday afternoon. He went out for a walk 8 weeks ago and fell through the ice.”
Lauer disappeared near the Orchard Trail Apartments in Orono, Maine, where he lived, authorities previously said. (Google Maps)
The pond has reportedly been a focal point of the search for Lauer.
Robert Bowie, director of Downeast Emergency Medicine Institute (DEEMI), told the outlet in a statement Wednesday “the pond has been an area of interest since the beginning, as apartment employee interviews indicated it as an area he would frequent.”
“DEEMI has launched multiple drone imaging missions over the search area, including the pond, both infrared and high resolution digital imaging,” Bowie said. “There have been at least three imaging missions of this area of interest, and more were planned.”
Police thanked the Maine Warden Service, University of Maine and search volunteers for their help in trying to locate Lauer.
A sign at the entrance to the University of Maine campus in Orono, Maine, July 22, 2016. (iStock)
“The Orono Police Department and the Town of Orono want to extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Lauer,” police said.
Lauer was enrolled at the University of Maine from September 2024 through December 2025, the school confirmed to People.
The school told WMTW-TV Lauer was not enrolled at the time he went missing.
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