Great News

[Sam]

The truck of the young man who was/ is missing from my area is being pulled out of one of the local lakes as we speak. No word yet if he is inside it. I am so hoping. They can't open the doors until the truck is out of the water because of the windows being shut and the truck is filled with water.

I have copied a little excerp from the local paper about this area having been searched before. So it can give us hope for TES and their search for Natalee.

“Basically, ESDA had purchased some new equipment and was experimenting with it,” he said.

The Emergency Services and Disaster Agency is now known as Danville/Vermilion County Emergency Management Agency.

The equipment, which was not immediately identified, apparently did what nearly six years of searching could not — detect the truck in about 50 feet of water.

“The area’s been checked,” Kaag said. “We’ve had sonar. They used equipment from the (Illinois Department of Natural Resources). Our department divers have combed that area"

Ok just wanted to share. Sam

[sharon]

Sam -- what good news that his family may get closure. I can't imagine the 'not knowing'.

We have many canals/drainage ponds, etc, here in S Florida -- and it seems that ending up in them has become almost an epidemic.

This week they found a young woman in her car in a canal who had been missing for 6 days.

Last year they found a car with 4 teenagers? missing for 19 years.

I'm glad they are getting better with the equipment. I wish there were better ways to prevent it.

Thanks for sharing! My prayers are with his family.

[Sleuth]

Missing Man`s Truck Found

8 PM EST Tuesday, July 25

There`s a big break in a 5 year old missing persons case in Vermilion County.

19 year old Ryan Katcher disappeared after a party in November 2000.

The case hasn`t moved forward much since then, until Tuesday.

Authorities found Katcher`s truck in a pond at Kickapoo State Park, near Danville.

The Vermilion County Sheriff`s Department has confirmed they did find Ryan Katcher`s truck Tuesday morning in Clear Pond at the park.

Investigators aren`t saying if his body is in the truck.

They say Vermilion County`s EMA dive team was testing new equipment late Monday when they found something underwater that looked suspicious.

Tuesday morning around 9 a.m., crews started searching the pond with some sonar cameras.

They`re not letting anyone get near the water, but say they`re positive its a match.

The pond is about 50 feet deep and investigators say Ryan`s truck is at the very bottom.

They say the area wasn`t overlooked in the searches, they just didn`t have the equipment to get that deep until now.

State Police divers, the Department of Natural Resources, and the Sheriff`s Department are working on getting the truck out of the water.

Officials expect to be there most of Tuesday night.

source

[Sam]

Oh Sleuth , YOU ARE GOOD. lol

Rumor has it the truck is now out of the water and there is a body inside.

Since he is the only missing person from this area Everyone assumes it is Ryan. I believe the police are keeping info close to their chest. They will not say how far out in the water the truck was.

There have been quite a few young lives messed with because of this case, I cannot say ruined but suspicions. So it will be interesting to see how it all plays out. I hope he just passed out at the wheel and never knew what happened. I also hope they can still find enough info to draw a conclusion. I do know the search teams walked that area a day after he went missing.

Sharon, How awful for those poor families, missing for 19 years. I cannot begin to imagine the pain they have endured not knowing all those years.

Thank you both for sharing.

[Sleuth]

Sam, I am so glad there is finally resolution for this family...


Coroner Confirms Katcher`s Body Found

<snip>
The Vermilion County Coroner confirms Katcher`s body was inside the truck.
<snip>
The pond is about 50 feet deep and investigators say Ryan`s truck was at the very bottom.

They say the area wasn`t overlooked in the searches, they just didn`t have the equipment to get that deep until now.

source

[nonesuche]

I can't begin to imagine what these families go through for five long years or even 19 years? The toll it must take on their hearts is immeasurable, so may this family find a measure of peace now.

[Sam]

There was a news conference yesterday. There was no foul play. Because of the temp of the water 38 degrees and the depth of the water 50 feet they were able to do an autopsy on the remains. No injuries of any kind. Death by drowning. They were unable to do a drug or alcohol test. But they presume he either went to sleep at the wheel or passed out.

I am so glad this case is resolved and his Mom and family can have some peace of mind. Also glad the young kids at the party were not guilty of a coverup as had long been suspected. It had long been suspected that he died of alcohol poisoning or asphyxiated and they had gotten scared and hid his body. I hope they can now move on with their lives. JMHO

Sam

[2NJSons_Mom]

We had something similar in our area.  A woman went missing with her car, the winter of 2005/2006 (don't recall the month).  She had health problems & left without her meds/purse/coat and searches came up empty.  A pond that they'd visited as a fmily was searched a second time in March, after the thaw by helicopter.  A dark shadow was visible, and it turned out to be her car.  She was found inside, unfortunately.  Ice formation prevented and hid it from view until spring.  Husband refused to believe it could be suicide, but to maneuver the car to the location found pointed to the possibility.  This was a short torture for this family, and I cannot imagine 5 years, as stated earlier.  

Thankful that the search is over for the boy's family.  It is very sad.