Officials said they found one body about 6:23 a.m. and a second about noon. Officials say the first victim is John Brian Taylor, 21, of Raleigh.

Police have not officially released the second victim's name; however, William Riley said the second victim was his son, Mikey McDowell, 20, of Wendell. Riley collapsed in sobs after identifying his son's body.

The two swimmers were reported missing at 2:59 a.m. today by a third man who had been with them, said Chris Walton, supervisor in the Wake emergency communications center.

The three men were at the canoe launch site on the east bank of the Neuse River when the three men decided to go swimming, according to Raleigh police spokesman Jim Sughrue.

They crossed the river to the Old Milburnie Dam where they got out for a while before starting to swim back. That's when one of the men began having trouble in the water, said Jeff Hammerstein, Wake emergency services chief. The two other men went into the river to help, but one of them also began struggling and did not resurface, he said.

Earlier reports said a woman was also at the scene but that could not be confirmed by Sughrue.

McDowell, a graduate of East Wake High School, played football for the Warriors.

"He was a good kid," said principal Craig Baker. "Certainly one you remember."

Eastern Wake EMS Chief George Gupton said divers found the body about 75 to 100 feet from the Old Milburnie Dam.

The Neuse River Canoe Trail sits behind the Old Milburnie Dam, near the Beechwood Park Apartments.

Residents say it's a popular hang out spot for young people after dark.

Nancy Leatherwood, manager of Beechwood, said she has been trying for a long time to persuade police to lock a gate at night at the entrance to the area, previously known as Raleigh beach. "I guess now that this has happened, they'll close it now," she said.

John Hart, an IT recruiter who lives in the apartments, said he often sees cars coming and going out of the parking lot between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m.

Hart said he never saw anyone in the water because it's so muddy, but other residents said they've seen swimmers there.

An apartment official said McDowell and his family had lived in the apartments for five years. They moved out in February.

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