Body found on Vilano Beach confirmed as that of missing FSCJ student

The body found Wednesday morning on Vilano Beach is now confirmed to be missing Jacksonville swimmer Skyler Christian Taylor following an autopsy, according to the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office.

The 20-year-old Florida State College at Jacksonville man’s body was found about 7:30 a.m. in the surf near the 3300 block of North Florida A1A, about two miles north of the Vilano Beach inlet, the Sheriff’s Office said.

The young man was reported missing shortly before 6 p.m. Sunday while swimming with a friend near the north inlet jetty on Porpoise Point. He was last seen about 150 yards offshore near the North Shoal, according to St. Johns Fire Rescue officials.

The Medical Examiner’s Office has ruled the cause of death as an accidental drowning as it awaits pending toxicology results.

“We consider our students to be family and losing one of them is an unthinkable tragedy,” FSCJ President Cynthia Bioteau said.