The body of a man who had been reported missing while paddleboarding in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, was reportedly found yards from former President Barack Obama’s home.
The Martha’s Vineyard Times reports first responders were dispatched to the Obamas’ mansion off Edgartown Great Pond on Sunday night. Massachusetts State Police divers recovered the body of the 43-year-old Black man in approximately eight-foot-deep waters, about 100 feet away from shore, and retrieved it shortly before 10 a.m. on Monday. It was later revealed that the man was Obama’s personal chef, Tafari Campbell.
Because of the proximity of the discovery of the body, the discovery turned into political banter on social media. It has prompted conspiracy theories about the man’s death and possible ties to the former president. Others have criticized Obama for purchasing the home near water despite vowing to combat climate change during his presidency.
“Conspiracy theories are tiring. A man lost his life here, and there were witnesses who saw the man go under,” Twitter influencer Ed Krassenstein wrote in a tweet on Monday. “Anyone who tries to point a finger at Obama or even insinuate that he could have had anything to do with this is being disingenuous and disrespectful of this man’s life.”
The Obamas purchased the $11.75 million 6,892-square-foot waterfront house in 2020.
The house sits on nearly 30 secluded acres fronting the Edgartown Great Pond between Slough Cove and Turkeyland Cove, with views of the Atlantic Ocean. It features seven bedrooms and eight and a half baths and offers direct access to the pond, and includes a boat house and a private beachfront with deeded rights, according to Home & Gardens.
Martha’s Vineyard has been an annual holiday spot for the Obama family since their time in the White House, reports show.
Campbell, the former White House sous chef, was renowned for being one of the chefs responsible for brewing the White House honey ale beer during Obama’s tenure, using honey from Michelle Obama’s famous South Lawn garden. After leaving the White House, Campbell continued to work for the former first couple.
“Tafari was a beloved part of our family. When we first met him, he was a talented sous chef at the White House — creative and passionate about food, and its ability to bring people together. In the years that followed, we got to know him as a warm, fun, extraordinarily kind person who made all of our lives a little brighter,” the Obamas said in a statement.
“That’s why, when we were getting ready to leave the White House, we asked Tafari to stay with us, and he generously agreed. He’s been part of our lives ever since, and our hearts are broken that he’s gone.
Campbell’s body was disappeared on Sunday evening, prompting a multi-agency response involving the U.S. Coast Guard, state police, and local emergency personnel. A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter and Massachusetts State Police aerial support were deployed, along with an underwater recovery unit and the Massachusetts Environmental Police.
The initial call about the paddleboarder was received at 7:46 p.m. He was last seen wearing all black without a life preserver going into the water by another paddleboarder but briefly struggled to stay on the surface before he disappeared.
Authorities are conducting an investigation into the incident.
