Vehicle discovered in Starvation Reservoir connected to case of man missing since 2004

SALT LAKE CITY ( ABC4 ) — Several agencies recovered a vehicle and human remains from Starvation Reservoir on Monday — and the vehicle was confirmed to be connected to the case of a man who was first reported missing in 2004.

According to the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office , the car that was recovered on Sept. 30 was connected to the case of Steven Willard Anderson, who was 47 years old when he was first reported missing in June 2004.

“Human remains were found inside the vehicle,” the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release Tuesday. “Though identification of the remains is still pending, detectives are working diligently to confirm the identity.”

According to the Utah Department of Public Safety , Anderson was on his way to paint a family cabin in Flaming Gorge, but his family said he was not at the cabin when they checked.

Until 2024, neither Anderson nor the vehicle were found, the DPS said. However, the investigation into his case continued for several years, and his case received public attention in March 2022, according to the sheriff’s office.

Doug Bishop with the United Search Corps and Dave Sparks with Spark Motors caught wind of the case in April 2024, the sheriff’s office said. The pair met with Detective Ben Pender with the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office to help with the case.

On Sept. 29, 2024, a vehicle was found “at a depth of approximately 50 feet in Starvation Reservoir,” the sheriff’s office said. That vehicle was then connected to Anderson’s case.

On Sept. 30, 2024, the vehicle was recovered through a collaborative effort between the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office and others — including the Duchesne County Sheriff’s Office, United Search Corps, Sparks Heavy Rescue, Atlas Towing, and the Utah Department of Natural Resources.

The Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office expressed gratitude to the agencies involved in the recovery of the vehicle.

Sorina Trauntvein contributed to reporting.

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