GARDNER — The body of a 57-year-old Acton man who had been missing since October 2025 after escaping Heywood Hospital was recovered Wednesday from Crystal Lake.
According to Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr., the body pulled from the lake was identified as Leonard Mercury, 57, of Acton. Mercury was last seen leaving Heywood Hospital just before 2:00 a.m. on Oct. 31, 2025.
The Gardner Police Department attempted to locate Mercury at the time of his disappearance but was unable to locate him.
In the months that followed, several additional searches were carried out by the Gardner Police Department, Westminster Police Department, Massachusetts Environmental Police, Massachusetts State Police Dive Team, Massachusetts State Police Special Emergency Response Team, Massachusetts State Police Marine Unit, and K-9 Unit.
On Wednesday, March 25, 2026, Gardner police used drone technology to conduct an aerial search of Crystal Lake in connection with Mercury’s disappearance. According to the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office, the drones detected what appeared to be a human body floating in the water.
The body was then recovered by the Massachusetts State Police Dive Team.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has accepted the case and will determine the cause and manner of death.
The incident remains under investigation by Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office, State Police Crime Scene Services, the Gardner Police Department, and the Westminster Police Department.
