Even one of Arizona’s most popular spots can have its secrets, but you won’t find it unless you go 60 feet below.
Videos online show a Jason Voorhees statue, from the famous "Friday the 13th" movie series, at the bottom of Lake Pleasant, complete with the ski mask, machete and chains.
Isaac Steele and his wife Missy heard rumors, but they wanted to see for themselves.
They took this video in July, and soon enough, it was shared across the Valley and then nationwide.
"He drowned in the lake, and that's the thing kind of behind the movies,” Isaac said.
The man behind the idea is Zach Nagy, a Valley diver who spoke to a New York-based horror podcast, “Slasher Radio,” in September.
"We were getting bored of what was down there, and wanted to add something new,” he said.
Fans of the statue argue it comes with more benefits than you’d think. It acts as an artificial reef and can be used for navigation. They also say it’s bringing more divers to the lake, meaning more revenue.
On top of that, Nagy said he took steps to make sure it’s not harmful.
"We wanted something that lasted a while but was also environmentally friendly,” he said.
But not everyone is happy with it.
"It's absolutely a violation, yes," said R.J. Cardin, director of Maricopa County Parks and Recreation.
"This lake is the City of Phoenix’s drinking water. We don't want things thrown in the lake or put in the lake that could cause hazards to public health,” he said.
Last month, Cardin said he sent a team of divers to retrieve the statue, but it wasn’t there.
"It is kind of like a mystery right now. Maybe he's moving around on his own and we can't find him,” said Cardin.
He said they don’t have plans to go back down and search.
So did someone else remove Jason from the lake, or will he soon rise from the dead in a different location?
Only time will tell.
