In an intriguing development, divers have discovered additional remains of at least two individuals as they successfully retrieved a 1966 Chevrolet Impala from the depths of the Pecatonica River in Winnebago County. The Winnebago County Coroner, Jennifer Muraski, revealed during a news conference that skeletal remains were found inside the vehicle at the time of its recovery on Monday. Moreover, further remains were located along the river bank after the vehicle was pulled from the water. Alongside these grisly discoveries, personal items were also found within the vehicle.

Authorities have confirmed that human remains were indeed found in the car retrieved from the Pecatonica River. The Winnebago County Sheriff's Office, in connection with a cold case investigation, suspects that the vehicle may be tied to the disappearance of two individuals, Clarence Owens and Everett Hawley, nearly 50 years ago. According to the sheriff's office records, Hawley and Owens were last seen on February 19, 1976.

Sheriff Gary Caruana stated that divers will be returning to the site near E. First and Washington streets in Pecatonica to continue the investigation. The recovered vehicle was initially detected by fishermen using sonar equipment, who promptly alerted the authorities. After hours of effort on Monday, divers and a crane successfully retrieved the car.

Moving forward, the Winnebago County Coroner's Office plans to collaborate with a forensic anthropologist to identify the remains found in the vehicle. Coroner Muraski emphasized that the investigation is still in its early stages, and the gender of the individuals cannot be determined as of yet. The identification process is expected to take some time.

As the investigation unfolds, the sheriff's office urges the public to come forward with any information that may prove helpful. A dedicated tip line has been established at 815-319-6400 to encourage individuals with potential leads or knowledge related to the case to come forward.

This is a developing story, and further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.