Jonesboro, Georgia Native and TSU Marching Band Trombonist Reginald Starks, 19, Drowns at Panther Creek Falls

A young college student with a bright future in music is gone after a drowning incident at a popular waterfall in the mountains of north Georgia.

Reginald Starks, 19, a rising sophomore at Texas Southern University in Houston and a member of the school’s celebrated Ocean of Soul Marching Band, died Sunday after he was pulled from the waters at Panther Creek Falls in Habersham County.

Game wardens with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources were the first to respond around 4 p.m. after reports came in of a possible drowning near the base of the falls.

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Habersham County Sheriff’s deputies arrived shortly after. Rescue crews went directly into the water and located Starks submerged approximately 12 feet deep. They performed life-saving efforts on site, but those efforts were not enough. Reginald Starks was pronounced dead at the scene.

Panther Creek Falls sits within the Chattahoochee National Forest, a well-known destination that draws visitors from across the region, particularly on warm weekends.

The spot is a favorite for hikers and swimmers alike, but the natural terrain around the falls presents real hazards, especially for those unfamiliar with the depth and current conditions of the water. Authorities have not yet confirmed whether Starks was alone or with a group when the incident took place, and the exact circumstances that led to the drowning remain under investigation.

A Community Left Grieving

Back in Houston, the Texas Southern University community received the devastating news with heavy hearts. The Ocean of Soul Marching Band, one of the most recognized and celebrated bands at TSU, announced his passing on social media and described Starks as someone whose presence in the band and across campus would be deeply missed.

Originally from Jonesboro, Georgia, Starks had traveled far from home to pursue his education and his passion for music, landing a spot in one of the most storied HBCU marching band programs in the country.

The National Show Band Association also released a statement honoring the young trombonist. The organization described his passion, dedication, and spirit as embodying the excellence and pride of the marching band tradition. They expressed their condolences to his family, his bandmates, and the entire TSU community.

Comments from people who knew Starks or simply heard his story poured in from across the country. His great-aunt, Vanessa Carter, responded directly to the band’s post, thanking the community for the love shown to her family in the wake of the loss.

Fellow commenters shared memories, offered prayers, and spoke of Reggie in terms that made clear he was someone who touched the people around him.

Reginald Starks was only at the beginning of what could have been a remarkable journey. He was a college student home in his home state, spending a Sunday at a natural landmark that thousands visit every year. How that day ended the way it did is still a question investigators have not fully answered.

His family, his bandmates, and a community of people who never even knew his name are all carrying the same grief tonight.

May Reginald Starks rest in peace.