Skeletal remains found in car linked to Illinois cold case. Here's what we know.
Two sets of human skeletal remains were located inside the car authorities pulled from the Pecatonica River earlier this week, Winnebago County Coroner Jennifer Muraski announced at a news conference Wednesday at the Winnebago County Justice Center.
"We have over 100 skeletal remains," Muraski said. "But we know there are many more that are still out there. This is why we've called the dive team back in again. We are going back out there today."
Muraski said her team was called to the scene when what looked like a human bone was found on the ground after the 1966 Chevrolet Impala sedan owned by 65-year-old Clarence Owens was pulled from the river near the corner of East First and Washington streets in Pecatonica. More bones were later found inside the car.
Owens, along with 72-year-old Everett Hawley, went missing on Feb. 19, 1976. Authorities say they were in the Impala the day they went missing.
Investigators say they are early in the process to determine whether the remains belong to Owens and Hawley.
"At this time, we are still working on it as a missing persons case," Winnebago County Sheriff Gary Caruana said.
Because investigators are working with a forensic anthropologist who is based outside the Rockford area and are coordinating with members of the Owens and Hawley families to obtain DNA samples, Muraski said identifying the remains could take some time.
Muraski said even though some personal effects were also found inside the car, it is too early to tell how long the identification process will take.
"We are assuming we know who they are but as far as the coroner's office, assumptions never work," she said. "So we are going to do our due diligence to find out through DNA who these people are."
The coroner's role in the investigation is also to determine whether the remains show any sign of injury.
"Our concern is the cause and manner of death," Muraski said. "What happened—how that car ended up there, that's all law enforcement."
Assistance from the public could help answer those questions, Caruana said, adding that his office does not currently suspect foul play but will know more once the remains are identified.
"We are going to work alongside the coroner's office to gradually get this put together," the sheriff said. "But it's not going to be quick. We will work methodically to make sure everything is correctly done to understand what exactly happened."
Anyone with information about the disappearance of Clarence Owens and Everett Hawley is urged to call 815-319-6400.
Jim Hagerty writes about business, growth and development and other general news topics for the Rockford Register Star. Email him at jhagerty@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Bones found in car linked to 1976 Rockford-area cold case
