Menu
Car found in Mississippi River
On the afternoon of Oct. 2, a couple walking their dog in the area of the New Madrid boat ramp reported finding a car in the Mississippi River just below the ramp. In addition, they found a small bone in the same area as the car.
Officers responded and secured the scene then began the process of sifting through what was left of the car for other bones or items that would identify the vehicle.
Although the car was in a severely degraded condition, officers were able to determine that it was a late 1970s or early 1980s Ford sedan. The trunk section and one door were partially intact, and a license plate that expired in 1985 was pulled from the back bumper.
After a certain number of years, license plates are purged from the state system but the records are kept in a repository. The Missouri State Highway Patrol is currently working to identify the registered owner.
Detailed photographs of the bone fragments found at the scene were sent to two different pathologists,. Both agreed the bones were not human.
The area which would have been the inside of the car and the trunk was sifted thoroughly. No other bone fragments were found.
Right now we believe the car may have been stolen then dumped in the early 1980s or it may possibly be related to insurance fraud. We will have a clearer picture once the registered owner is identified.
Approximately five years ago we performed a similar recovery of car parts in the same spot, and we believe this is the same vehicle but the low river level has exposed more of the car.
Like most people, we hoped that this may have been related to the disappearance of Barbara Stoffer in 2013, but that is just not the case. With river levels at near historic lows, we have had an officer walking the riverbank every few days looking for evidence as the river falls.
Anyone who finds anything suspicious on the bank is urged to call the Police Department at (573)748-5901.