2 Dive teams help find cars in Lake of the Ozarks while searching for a missing person

CAMDENTON, Mo. (KY3) - While searching as part of a missing person case from 2013, 2 cars were pulled from Lake of the Ozarks.

Two separate dive teams, Adventure with a Purpose and Chaos Diving, went searching earlier this week for Donald Erwin. That’s when the discovery was made.

Erwin went missing in 2013 from his home in Camdenton.

”These two companies were recently looking at using their side sonar imaging systems. They were able to locate these two vehicles,” said Sgt. Scott Hines with the Camden County Sheriff’s Office.

The Camden County Sheriff’s Office investigators are tasked with finding out who they belong to.

”The Chevy Cavalier behind me was stolen in 2005. From the Sunrise Beach area. It’s a 2004 Chevy Cavalier. The owners were here on business from California. They left the key in the ignition. When they got up the next morning, the car was gone,” said Sgt. Hines.

As for the other car, it is a 1958 Thunderbird.

”Our friends for the Highway Patrol are helping us track down the vehicle identification number or any other kind of serial number on the vehicle that might help us identify who was the last registered owner so that we can go back and find out when and where it may have been stolen from if it was ever reported stolen,” said Sgt. Hines.

So far, detectives have discovered it to be a hardtop model originally painted Winterset White with a black and white vinyl top.

Sgt Scott Hines with the Camden County Sheriff’s Office says it is one of those things where you never know when key evidence in a case will turn up.

”We will run a lead until it runs out.”

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