Donnie Erwin; car found in Missouri pond.Photo:Camden County MO Sheriff’s Office (2)
Camden County MO Sheriff’s Office (2)
The property owner said that Hinkle was searching an area of Southern Camden County where he believed a submerged vehicle belonging to Erwin was located in a pond.
Donnie Erwin.Camden County MO Sheriff’s Office
Camden County MO Sheriff’s Office
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“Deputies and detectives from the Camden County Sheriff’s Office as well as members of the Mid-County Fire Protection District Dive Team responded to the area and met with Mr. Hinkle and the property owner,” read the release. “Divers searched the pond and verified the license plate on the submerged vehicle matched the plate on Mr. Erwin’s missing Hyundai. With assistance from Bledsoe’s Conoco, investigators recovered Mr. Erwin’s Hyundai Elantra from the pond and notified his family of the development.”
In a news update from Monday, the sheriff’s office said authorities returned to the pond this past Saturday with cadaver dogs where the Hyundai Elantra was recovered a week earlier and conducted a search.
“Despite the length of time since Mr. Erwin’s disappearance, the cadaver dogs alerted to the presence of human remains in the pond. The dogs concentrated on one area near the center of the pond indicating that was the most likely location of the remains,” per the update.
Car found submerged in Missouri pond.Camden County MO Sheriff’s Office
The following day, detectives went back to the pond with divers who searched the area where the cadaver dogs had been previously and recovered human remains from the pond, the update continued. Along with the remains, an artificial hip was found consistent with the one Erwin had.
“While a forensic pathologist will have to examine the remains to determine for certain if they are indeed those of Mr. Erwin, investigators are confident the hip and remains belong to him,” the sheriff’s office’s latest update reads.
YouTuber Hinkle had been interested in the Erwin case for many years, said the sheriff’s office.
In a Facebook message posted on Monday,Yvonne Erwin-Bowen, Erwin’s sister wrote: “Wow Brother. What a special Christmas this is. Even though you’re not with us, we know where you are now and we can rejoice because of it. I love you brother and I miss you terribly, but I know it was God’s will that brought you to us and I know you are no longer in pain. I love you very much and I will forever treasure the time I have had with you. You were the BEST big brother any little girl could have asked for!”
PEOPLE contacted the Camden County Sheriff’s Office for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
source: people.com
