Human remains found in 1968 Pontiac in N.C. lake
Authorities following up on 43-year-old leads found human remains in a 1968 Pontiac Catalina that was recovered from Lake Rhodhiss in Caldwell County on Tuesday.
The green Catalina matches the car belonging to a person reported missing to the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office on Feb. 19, 1972, sheriff’s investigators said Wednesday.
The remains will be transferred to the N.C. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for an autopsy and identification, although “there are no signs of foul play at this point,” sheriff’s Lt. Aaron Barlowe said.
Using advanced sonar, investigators and a dive team found the car in 30 feet of water, Barlowe said.
Sheriff’s investigators and agents with the State Bureau of Investigation conducted the recovery operation from the Lake Rhodhiss Boat Access on Waterworks Road. The North Catawba Fire and Rescue dive team helped recover the car.
“We take a serious approach to all cases reported to the Sheriff’s Office and never consider a case closed until the truth is known,” Sheriff Alan Jones said in a statement announcing the recovery of the car.
Jones plans to discuss the case at a 3:30 p.m. media conference at the sheriff’s office Wednesday.
Joe Marusak: 704-358-5067, @jmarusak
This story was originally published July 22, 2015 at 2:12 PM.