Amazon software engineer, 32, dies in Lake Tahoe as harrowing details emerge

An Amazon software engineer from Texas died after he was pulled unresponsive from the waters of Lake Tahoe Monday evening.

The Washoe County Regional Medical Examiner’s Office identified the victim as Yadessa Aga, 32, of Austin. Aga worked as a software engineer for Amazon in the city, according to his LinkedIn.

Officials said the investigation remains ongoing, and his official cause of death has not yet been determined.

Deputies with the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the North Sand Harbor boat ramp at around 8 p.m. Monday following reports of a possible water rescue at the popular Nevada state park on Lake Tahoe’s eastern shoreline.

Investigators said Aga had swum toward a group of offshore granite boulders around dusk before disappearing beneath the surface and becoming unresponsive.

Before deputies arrived, bystanders entered the rescue effort and brought Aga back to shore, where sheriff’s deputies immediately began CPR. Emergency medical personnel continued resuscitation attempts after reaching the scene.

“Despite those efforts, the victim was pronounced deceased at the scene,” the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

Authorities are treating the incident as an apparent accidental drowning.

Justin Norton, operations manager for the Washoe County Regional Medical Examiner’s Office, told SFGATE that the investigation is still active.

“The case is pending further investigation, so I have no records or cause of death to release at this time,” Norton said in an email.

Aga was remembered by a colleague on LinkedIn as an “exceptional” employee and a “team player.”

Sand Harbor State Park, located near Incline Village about 30 miles southwest of Reno, attracts more than a million visitors each year.

The beach is renowned for its crystal-clear waters, white sand beaches and massive granite rock formations, making it a popular destination for swimming, kayaking, paddleboarding and boating.

According to the Take Care Tahoe public safety campaign, cold water shock contributes to an average of about seven drownings on the lake each year.

The fatal incident comes just weeks after another person died near Sand Harbor in June after reportedly experiencing distress in the water.

In August 2024, San Jose father of three Francisco Villa also drowned near Bonsai Rock on Tahoe’s East Shore before being transported to Sand Harbor, where he was pronounced dead.

The medical examiner’s office said completed examination reports typically take between 10 and 12 weeks.

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