Skeletal stays inside automobile discovered by fishermen in Illinois river recognized as males who disappeared in 1976

DNA testing on skeletal stays present in a automobile pulled from an Illinois river confirmed they’re these of two males who vanished in 1976 after leaving a farm public sale, authorities mentioned.

Testing carried out by the Illinois State Police Division of Forensic Providers confirmed they’re the stays of Clarence Owens and Everett Hawley, the Winnebago County Coroner’s Workplace mentioned Tuesday.

Hawley, 72, of Stockton, Illinois, and Owens, 65, of Freeport, Illinois, vanished after leaving a farm public sale on Feb. 19, 1976, close to the Winnebago-Ogle county line, the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Workplace mentioned

Hawley was an actual property dealer in Freeport, whereas Owens was a salesman in Hawley’s agency.

“This deliver us one step nearer to offering closure to the households of Clarence Owens and Everett Hawley who’ve waited a few years for solutions which were affected by this tragic case,” Winnebago County Sheriff Gary Caruana mentioned in a press release.

In March, individuals fishing alongside the Pecatonica River found a submerged automobile within the river utilizing a sonar fish finder. 

“It is fairly difficult as a result of it is sitting within the mud, 8 to 10 toes, which isn’t that deep however deep sufficient,” Sheriff Caruana advised CBS affiliate WIFR-TV after the invention.

Restoration crews then used a crane to drag the 1966 Chevrolet Impala sedan from the river within the village of Pecatonica, the Rockford Register Star reported. The lads had left the farm public sale in that automobile, authorities mentioned.

Owens and Hawley have been seen on the farm public sale with the Impala, which belonged to Owens and which had a brand new coat of gold paint on the time, based on the Doe Community, a nonprofit database for details about lacking and unidentified individuals. The lads had attended a political rally within the space earlier than stopping on the public sale, and deliberate to make a shared appointment in German Valley, about 25 miles west of Winnebago County, after leaving the public sale. They by no means made that appointment

Greater than 100 bones have been retrieved from the automobile and the river on the web site about 100 miles west of Chicago. DNA extracted from the bones was in contrast with DNA profiles from the lads’s family to determine them.

Earlier than the DNA testing, the stays have been examined by a forensic anthropologist in St. Louis, Missouri, who discovered no proof of trauma.

Winnebago County Coroner Jennifer Muraski advised WIFR-TV that how the 2 males died continues to be unknown, however no foul play is suspected.

“This can be a testomony to the dedication and perseverance of our detectives and forensic specialists,” Sheriff Caruana mentioned. “It is a reminder that no case is ever actually closed irrespective of how a lot time has handed.”

contributed to this report.