ROCKFORD, Ill. — The discovery of human remains in the Pecatonica River in Northern Illinois has led the Winnebago County Sheriff's to reopen a decades-old cold case.
65-year-old Clarence Owens and 75-year-old Everette Hawley were last seen at a farm auction near the Winnebago-Ogle County line on February 19, 1976. A 1966 gold Chevy Impala believed to be connected to the case was found on sonar by local fishermen in the Pecatonica River, and on Monday, March 11, authorities were able to lift the car from the water.
The same day, the Winnebago County Coroner's Office was contacted about what was believed to be a human bone that had been found at the site. After investigating, Winnebago County Coroner Jennifer Muraski confirmed the presence of remains from two separate people. The remains haven't been identified, and Muraski said that they haven't been able to determine whether they belong to a male or female.
"We have over 100 skeletal remains that we have recovered, but we know that there are many more that are still out there. Whether or not we will be able to recover them is still yet to be seen," Muraski said at a press conference.
A dive team is still searching for additional evidence surrounding the site where the car was located.
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