Two Cars, Six Skeletons Pulled from Oklahoma Reservoir May Close Cold Cases

Two cars containing the skeletal remains of six people were pulled from an Oklahoma reservoir Tuesday and may close two cold cases that date back to the 1960s.

According to the Elk City Daily News, a test of new sonar equipment revealed two cars submerged near the marina in Western Oklahoma's Foss Reservoir.

When removed, the cars were revealed to be a green or brown 1950s-era Chevrolet and a 1969 Camaro.

Officials speculate the six bodies found in the cars may be people who disappeared in the 1960s and 1970s.

Custer County Sheriff Bruce Peoples said late Tuesday three skeletal remains were found in the Chevy, not two as initially believed.

Peoples had said the oldest case may involve a couple last seen in Canute who, in the early 1960s, were believed to be heading to Foss State Park and the reservoir, but were never seen again.

 
(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));

In the second case, three teens, 16-year-old Jimmy Allen Williams, 18-year-old Thomas Michael Rios and 18-year-old Leah Gail Johnson, were reported missing after they went for a ride in Williams' Camaro on Nov. 20, 1970. The trio, all from nearby Sayre, were believed to be headed to a football game in Elk City.

Investigators said they have confirmed the name of at least one victim found in the Camaro, though they have not yet released that name to the public.

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations is expected to release the names of the victims after identification and notification of family members.

Editor's note: It was initially reported that five skeletons had been recovered from the lake.  Late Tuesday, officials increased that number to six.

Contact Us