ROCKFORD, Ill. (AP) — DNA testing on skeletal remains found in a car pulled from an Illinois river confirmed they are those of two men who vanished in 1976 after leaving a farm auction, authorities said.
Testing performed by the Illinois State Police Division of Forensic Services confirmed they are the remains of Clarence Owens and Everett Hawley, the Winnebago County Coroner’s Office said Tuesday.
Hawley, 72, of Stockton, Illinois, and Owens, 65, of Freeport, Illinois, vanished after leaving a farm auction on Feb. 19, 1976, near the Winnebago-Ogle county line, the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office said
Hawley was a real estate broker in Freeport, while Owens was a salesperson in Hawley’s firm.
“This bring us one step closer to providing closure to the families of Clarence Owens and Everett Hawley who have waited many years for answers that have been affected by this tragic case,” Winnebago County Sheriff Gary Caruana said in a statement.
In March, people fishing along the Pecatonica River discovered a submerged vehicle in the river using a sonar fish finder. Recovery crews then used a crane to pull the 1966 Chevrolet Impala sedan from the river in the village of Pecatonica, the Rockford Register Star reported.
The men had left the farm auction in that vehicle, authorities said.
More than 100 bones were retrieved from the vehicle and the river at the site about 100 miles (161 kilometers) west of Chicago. DNA extracted from the bones was compared with DNA profiles from the men’s relatives to identify them.
Before the DNA testing, the remains were examined by a forensic anthropologist in St. Louis, Missouri, who found no evidence of trauma.
Winnebago County Coroner Jennifer Muraski told WIFR-TV that how the two men died is still unknown, but no foul play is suspected.
2024-12-25 09:532293 view
2024-12-25 09:51397 view
2024-12-25 09:36324 view
2024-12-25 09:17940 view
2024-12-25 08:43795 view
2024-12-25 08:012740 view
Drew Barrymore hopes people will become "more comfortable with physical touch" after sparking mixed
As portions of Hawaii's Big Island recover from the flooding rains and damaging winds of Tropical St
Just because Jenna Ortega and Johnny Depp have both worked with Tim Burton doesn't mean they're dati