Share this @internewscast.com

Missouri authorities have recovered human remains investigators believe belong to a man who has been missing for a decade, after a local YouTuber led them to the area.

Almost 10 years to the day after Army veteran Donnie Erwin disappeared in December 2013, freelance videographer and drone pilot James Hinkle located at the bottom of a pond in Camden County a car whose license plate matched that of the missing man’s Hyundai Elantra.

Detectives brought divers and cadaver dogs to search the area until, on Sunday morning, they managed to recover human remains along with an artificial hip that appeared to be Erwin’s.

“While a forensic pathologist will have to examine the remains to determine for certain if they are indeed those of Mr. Erwin, investigators are confident the hip and remains belong to him,” the Camden County Sheriff’s Office wrote in a news release.

Hinkle runs the YouTube channel Echo Divers, self-described as a scuba diving search and recovery team that helps law enforcement and family members work on missing persons cases. He said his interest in these cases began in 1991, when a young woman was abducted from his hometown.

“I’m now at a point in my life that I can volunteer to help others search for their missing loved ones,” Hinkle said. “As the father of a U.S. Marine, I strongly believe that we should serve those who served for us. When I found out that Donnie was a veteran and lived an hour and a half from my home in Clinton, Missouri, I knew I could help with the search.”

He uploaded several videos this year documenting his search for the missing veteran. In April, he shared on YouTube that he used sonar to confirm there was a small car submerged in a Camden County pond.

Hinkle told NBC News he had been flying a drone to retrace the route Erwin likely traveled the morning he went missing, checking any deep valleys, ravines or small ponds in which a car may be hiding. He had reached the second-to-last location in his search plan when he spotted the vehicle, at which point he contacted the land owner and made arrangements to search the property.

In another short YouTube video uploaded earlier this month, Hinkle filmed himself kayaking to the middle of the pond where the car appeared to be.

“It is confirmed. That is the vehicle,” a diver appears to say in the video after emerging from the water.

Erwin’s sister, Yvonne Erwin-Bowen, posted in the Facebook group FIND DONNIE ERWIN that the sheriff’s office notified her on Christmas morning about having recovered Erwin’s potential remains.

“It’s with joy and yet sadness that today, I received the call I’ve been waiting for for almost 10 years,” Erwin-Bowen wrote Monday, adding, “God’s will is done. And I am so very grateful to him for bringing my brother home.”

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Lil Duval's Jacksonville concert canceled for July 11

Lil Duval’s Jacksonville Show on July 11th Called Off

Lil Duval’s July 11 concert at Jacksonville’s VyStar Arena is canceled, with…
A blurred image of a person standing near the back of a car.

Tragic Incident: German Shepherd Dies After Being Dragged by Car, Owners Face Vigilante Justice

THIS is the harrowing moment a German Shepherd is dragged to its…
Camp Shaw in Manteno, Illinois: Camp Shaw-Waw-Nas-See talks safety protocols near Rock Creek amid Texas flooding at Camp Mystic

Camp Shaw in Manteno, Illinois: Camp Shaw-Waw-Nas-See Discusses Safety Measures Near Rock Creek in Light of Texas Flooding at Camp Mystic

MANTENO, Ill. (WLS) — As search and rescue efforts continue in Texas,…
Zoo staff member petting a lion through a fence.

Teacher Injured in Lion Attack Revealed as Sister of Zoo Owners in Video Showing Keeper Embracing the Animal

A TEACHER who lost her arm in a lion attack has been…
Bhagavan Antle leaving a courthouse after pleading guilty to illegally trafficking animals.

“Star of ‘Tiger King’ Imprisoned for Illegal Wildlife Trade and Money Laundering”

TIGER King star Bhagavan “Doc” Antle has been jailed for trafficking exotic…
LA ICE Raids Get Wild; Protester Makes Bad Decision to Block Van; Mayor Bass' Statement Is Incredible

Activists Against ICE Attempt to Block Agents from Detaining a Man in San Francisco – A Risky Decision

We’ve seen a lot of wild chaos from anti-ICE protests.  But what…
Texas flooding, and politics around it, underscore the challenges Trump faces in replacing FEMA

Texas Flooding Highlights Challenges Trump Faces in FEMA Replacement Efforts

Just a few weeks prior, President Donald Trump expressed a desire to…
Trash piles up around Philadelphia as city worker strike reaches 1 week

Philadelphia Faces Growing Trash Problem as City Worker Strike Hits One-Week Mark

Piles of trash overflowed in Philadelphia’s streets as a city worker strike…
Close-up of Ian Wilkinson outside a court building.

Sole Survivor of Erin Patterson’s Meal Speaks Out with Powerful 8-Word Message After Verdict

THE sole survivor of mushroom killer Erin Patterson’s poisoned lunch has broken…
'Percy Jackson' season 2 and Marvel's 'Wonder Man' previewed in new Disney+ and Hulu Teaser

Disney+ and Hulu Tease ‘Percy Jackson’ Season 2 and Marvel’s ‘Wonder Man’

Disney+ unveils teaser featuring “Only Murders in the Building” Season 5, new…
Trump will attend FIFA Club World Cup final at MetLife Stadium

Trump to Attend FIFA Club World Cup Final at MetLife Stadium

President Donald Trump has announced that he will attend the FIFA Club…
Trump and Netanyahu celebrate 'historic victory' against Iran, eye future Middle East peace

Trump and Netanyahu Hail ‘Historic Win’ Over Iran, Look to Future Middle East Peace

President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gathered at the…