SLED joins investigation into missing boater Tyler Doyle

LITTLE RIVER, S.C. (WMBF) – Another South Carolina agency is joining the case regarding a boater last seen in Horry County nearly a year ago.

A spokesperson from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division confirmed to WMBF News that SLED is assisting in the investigation into Tyler Doyle’s disappearance. The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources remains the lead agency.

Doyle was last seen on Jan. 26 in the Little River area while he was heading out on his jon boat to go duck hunting. The SCDNR said he was putting out duck decoys when seas became too rough and the boat began taking on water and drifted into the Atlantic Ocean.

After a few days of searching, some of Doyle’s belongings were later found off the North Carolina coast. Calls to first responders were also later released, detailing the day Doyle was last seen.

The SCDNR ruled there was no foul play suspected in Doyle’s disappearance and that it is being investigated as a hunting/boating accident.

The agency issued the following statement on the case:

The boating accident investigation in the Tyler Doyle case remains open. SCDNR entered Tyler Doyle into the NamUs database as a missing person based on his family’s request in March 2023. We have received tips on Tyler Doyle sightings. None of these sightings have been substantiated, but in an effort to allocate all resources we have shared the case file with SLED to explore the missing person’s inquiries.