Boat Captain Charged With BUI After 19-Year-Old Woman Goes Missing On Kentucky Lake

When 23-year-old Cameron Conley pulled up to a boat ramp on Grayson Lake on June 24, something was terribly wrong—and he knew it. He told marina staff he couldn’t locate a woman who had been aboard his boat, triggering an immediate response from authorities. What unfolded reveals a perfect storm of negligence and consequences that’s now left a community searching desperately for answers.

Responding state troopers found Conley showing unmistakable signs of impairment: the smell of alcohol and bloodshot eyes. When questioned about drinking while operating the boat, he didn’t deny it. A breath test confirmed what officers suspected—Conley’s blood alcohol level registered 0.137%, well above Kentucky’s legal boating limit of 0.08%. He admitted to consuming alcohol and now faces a charge of Boating Under the Influence. But the criminal charge barely scratches the surface of what happened that day.

19-year-old Marly Kinney remains missing. While Conley was taken into custody and later released, search and rescue teams continue intensive efforts across Grayson Lake. The operation has expanded to include state police aviation units, drones, boats, K-9 teams, and multiple local agencies—a mobilization that underscores both the seriousness of the situation and the community’s commitment to bringing Kinney home. Each passing day without answers deepens the urgency.

This case serves as a stark reminder that boating under the influence carries consequences that ripple far beyond a DUI conviction. Impaired judgment on the water isn’t just reckless—it’s potentially catastrophic. Kinney’s family has expressed gratitude for the widespread response while holding onto hope. For anyone with information, authorities continue to urge contact with 911 as the active investigation persists.