‘So kind and gentle': Beloved Key West coach found dead in storm drain remembered

Family, friends, and community members are grieving the loss of a beloved coach and teacher in Key West.

On Saturday, police found the body of Key West High School basketball coach Dexter Butler in a storm drain near the school’s gym. Police believe there was no foul play involved.

“The last few days have been extremely emotional, very difficult, and very tough,” said friend Rick Lopez. “It has hit our community like a thunderbolt that obviously none of us were expecting.”

Lopez says the 38-year-old was a history teacher, little league baseball coach, and head basketball coach at Key West High School.

“He was just full of life,” Lopez said. “Dexter had so much life to him and he gave so much of his time. He really had a personality that was so large and so kind and gentle at the same time.”

On Saturday, police found Butler’s body in a storm drain near the school’s gym where he was on his way to meet with some of his players.

Lopez says, according to family, Butler dropped his keys in the storm drain and when he reached in to pick them up, he fell into the drain and drowned.

“He took the grate out and was trying to get his keys,” Lopez said. “Something happened where he went in and we ended up losing him that way.”

Lopez is the general manager of Florida Keys Media, which runs seven radio stations and covers all Key West High School sports.

He says he’s known Butler since he was a high school athlete, then hired him years later as a sports commentator for one of his stations.

“He called football games for us,” he said. “He did our Monday night shows. He was on every week.”

Most of all, Butler was a husband and father.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help with costs.

“He is going to be missed so, so much,” Lopez said.