Sunken vehicle, skeletal remains found in Lake Hamilton linked to 2008 missing person case

GARLAND COUNTY, Ark. – Deputies from the Garland County Sheriff’s Office found a car with skeletal remains at the bottom of Lake Hamilton that has been linked to a 15-year-old missing person case.

On February 22, Garland County deputies said they received a call from a local fisherman about a possible sunken car in Lake Hamilton near the 800 block of Lakeland Drive. When lawmakers arrived on February 28 with representatives from Arkansas Game and Fish, they confirmed what was at the bottom of the lake was a car.

Authorities and divers returned to the sunken car on March 3 and found skeletal remains inside. All responding authorities were eventually able to pull the car out of the water on March 4.

Investigators removed the remains from the car and identified the vehicle as a 2003 Gray Ford Escape. They said they eventually identified the car using the vehicle identification number and found that it was linked to a missing persons report filed with the Hot Springs Police Department in February 2008.

Officials said the Garland County Sheriff’s Office and the Hot Springs Police Department are cooperating in the investigation. The remains were sent to the Arkansas State Crime Lab.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Garland County Investigation Division at 501-622-2967.