Crucial Find: Vehicle of Person Missing Since 2013 Recovered from Missouri Pond

It was found that the Hyundai Elantra Erwin was driving the day he vanished was the one that had been recovered from a private pond.Photo byCAMDEN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE

A decade-long missing person case in central Missouri takes a pivotal turn as authorities retrieve a car tied to Donald L. Erwin, who vanished in 2013. The silver 2002 Hyundai Elantra, bearing Erwin's matching license plate, was found submerged in a Camdenton pond, prompting a breakthrough in the investigation.

Erwin, last seen on December 29, 2013, drove the Elantra before his disappearance. The vehicle's recovery was facilitated by a freelance videographer, James Hinkle, who, intrigued by Erwin's case, independently investigated after spotting the submerged car via drone. Hinkle's initiative led to the discovery, which was documented and shared on his YouTube channel, Echo Divers.

Described as a 59-year-old man with distinct physical features, including a missing left leg and a scar on his left arm, Erwin's case has remained open. Investigators, aided by a fire protection dive team, are examining the retrieved car for evidence while conducting thorough searches in and around the pond for any potential human remains. The sheriff's office expressed gratitude to all involved in the exhaustive ten-year-long investigation.