New details released on human remains found in car pulled from Pecatonica River, connected to 1976 cold case

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — The Winnebago County Coroner has released new details related to a decades-old cold case after a car was found at the bottom of the Pecatonica River in March.

Coroner Jennifer Murawski said initial testing shows the more than 100 bones sent to a forensic anthropologist determined they belong to two adult men, and no trauma was found on any of the recovered bones.

Two femur bones have been sent to the Illinois State Police Crime Lab in Springfield for DNA testing, which may take several more weeks to complete, according to the coroner’s office.

A gold 1966 Chevrolet Impala was dragged from the river on Monday, March 11th, after fishermen found the vehicle on sonar.

The car is linked to the disappearance of two men, Everett Hawley and Clarence Owens, who went missing on February 19th, 1976.

Murawski said the skeletal remains were found at the scene, some found in the car and some along the riverbed.

But, she said it will still take some time to determine if they belong to Hawley and Owens, but Winnebago County Sheriff Gary Caruana said no foul play is suspected.

According to the International Center for Unidentified and Missing Persons, the two men were business partners and were last seen between 2:40 p.m. and 3 p.m. at a farm auction. Earlier that day, they had attended a political rally for gubernatorial candidate James Thompson at the American Legion in Pecatonica, stopped off at Rocky’s Cafe, and visited Owen’s son, who lived nearby.

The pair failed to keep a scheduled appointment in German Valley and were reported missing by their families the next day.

Their disappearance has puzzled investigators for decades.

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