California swimmer Erica Fox killed by shark attack after disappearing off Monterey
Erica Fox, 55, vanished during a group swim off Monterey in December 2025 and was later found dead, the cause determined to be a shark attack.
In December 2025, 55-year-old Erica Fox went missing during a weekly swim with the Kelp Krawlers club off Monterey. Her remains were located a week later near Davenport Beach in Santa Cruz County, partially clothed in a black wetsuit. The Santa Cruz County Sheriff-Coroner’s office reported that Fox suffered both sharp and blunt force trauma and drowned as a result of a shark attack, which left a semi-circular pattern of tooth marks from her abdomen to her knees, fracturing her pelvis and cutting a major artery.
Chris Lowe, a marine-biology professor at California State University Long Beach, speculated the predator may have confused her with a seal or sea lion, leading to a fatal mistake. Witnesses had reported seeing a large splash that they feared signaled a shark, and the Coast Guard noted a shark was seen with a human body in its jaws before submerging. This incident follows two prior shark attacks at Lover’s Point, including a 2022 bite on fellow club member Steve Bruemmer.
Why it matters
The case highlights the dangers of shark encounters for recreational swimmers in California coastal waters.
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