Two cars recovered from Foss Lake in Oklahoma last year held the remains of six people, and now investigators have used DNA evidence to identify the two groups who disappeared in 1969 and 1970.
Divers discovered the cars in September 2013, and when the vehicles were pulled out of the lake, they were found to contain the remains of
six people, CNN reported.
This week, the Oklahoma State Medical Examiner’s Office said all six people were
positively identified using DNA, KFOR said. It was determined that all six died from drowning.
In a green 1952 Chevrolet were the remains of three missing teenagers: Jimmy Allen Williams, 16; Leah Gail Johnson, 18; and Thomas Michael Rios, 18, all of Sayre, Oklahoma, according to KFOR. They all disappeared in 1970.
In a blue 1969 Chevy Camaro were the remains of three adults who disappeared in 1969: John Alva Porter, 69; Cleburn Hammack, 42; and Nora Marie Duncan, 58.
CNN said the teenagers were in Williams’ car, which he had purchased just six days before he disappeared. They were supposed to be attending a football game, but investigators found they may have planned to go hunting instead. Two rifles were also found in the car, CNN said.
An Oklahoma newspaper said the three adults were last seen when someone helped push their car to get it started.
NewsOK reported in 2013, after the remains were found but not yet identified, that alcohol bottles were found in both cars.
Gary Williams, brother of Jimmy Williams, was 12 when his brother disappeared, NewsOK said. Police allowed him to view the car after it was recovered, and he later told NewsOK that he believed the car’s gearshift was in neutral. He has raised the issue of whether foul play may have been involved in the deaths.
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