Friends missing for over 40 years: hobby detective solves mystery case with simple trick

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In December 1982, three close friends met for drinks in the small American town of Washington, North Carolina. Around midnight, William C.* (†30), David M.* (†24) and Michael N.* (†32) drove away from the bar together in a Chevrolet Camaro – and disappeared without a trace. After 41 years, an amateur detective was now able to solve the mysterious case – thanks to a simple invention.

As a child, Jason Souhrada had heard of the most famous missing person case in his area. He drove home along the lost trio’s possible route and discovered that after four miles there was a reservoir for the local stream, Jack’s Creek. He learned from 40-year-old police records that the man-made pond had not been searched in 1982 because it was “inaccessible” to boats with sonar.

“I saw something on the monitor that looked like a car on the roof.”

Souhrada had seen videos on YouTube of a group of Florida divers successfully searching the waters for missing people and was inspired. He ordered a cheap underwater sonar device online. He mounted this on a 1.50 meter long boogie board (a mini surf board) with which he searched the pond – and found it. He told local TV station WITN: “I saw what looked like a car on the roof on the monitor. “But I wasn’t sure so I went over it a few more times with the sonar.”

He gave his notes to local police chief Phil Rollinson, who immediately dispatched a professional diving team. The leader John Scott Rose Jr. told WITN: “After 45 minutes we came to a vehicle on the ground. It was in very poor condition and only the wheels, axles and chassis were left.”

“We are certain that it is the three missing persons.”

The authorities decided to drain the reservoir. Rollinson: “We found human remains of three people in the wreckage. The vehicle number corresponds to the Camaro. We are confident that these are the three missing persons.”

For Lea R.*, William C.’s daughter, the find marks the end of a family nightmare that has lasted for forty years: ‘I was a little girl and will never forget the details of the night my father didn’t come home. I am so grateful to Jason Souhrada for giving us and the other two families the opportunity to finally have certainty.” (ymh)

*Names known

Source: Blick