On a February day in 1976, 65-year-old Clarence Owens and his business associate, 72-year-old Everette Hawley, set out for what seemed to be a day of business and leisure in northern Illinois. Owens, from Freeport, was a salesperson for Hawley, a real estate broker from Stockton. They traveled in Owens' 1966 Chevrolet Impala, which sported a fresh coat of gold paint. Their day included several stops; they attended a political rally for a gubernatorial candidate at the American Legion in Pecatonica and afterward walked across the street to a cafe for pie and coffee. The two men also stopped to visit with Owens' daughter-in-law before heading to a farm auction near the Winnebago-Ogle county line. They were last seen at this auction. Owens and Hawley had a business appointment scheduled in German Valley later that day, but they never arrived. When they didn't return home, their families reported them missing the next day, sparking a mystery that would endure for nearly half a century.
The disappearance of Clarence Owens and Everette Hawley prompted an intensive investigation involving the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office, the Stephenson County Sheriff's Department, and the Illinois State Police. Despite their efforts, which included aerial surveillance, the search for the two men and the gold Chevrolet Impala yielded no answers. For decades, their families were left in a state of uncertainty, grappling with the unexplained absence of their loved ones. The case grew cold, a lingering puzzle for law enforcement and a source of enduring pain for the community and the families who held out hope for answers. The complete lack of evidence or leads left the fate of the two business partners a baffling mystery.
The long-standing cold case took an unexpected turn in March 2024, when fishermen using sonar equipment on the Pecatonica River detected what appeared to be a submerged vehicle. Authorities were alerted, and a recovery operation was launched. Crews carefully pulled the mud-caked 1966 Chevrolet Impala from the river, about 8 to 10 feet below the surface. Inside the vehicle, investigators made a somber discovery: over 100 skeletal remains. The remains were sent for analysis, first to a forensic anthropologist who determined they belonged to two adult males and found no evidence of trauma. Subsequently, the Illinois State Police Division of Forensic Services conducted DNA testing. In September 2024, it was officially announced that the remains were positively identified as those of Clarence Owens and Everette Hawley. After 48 years of questions, the case was regretfully closed as both men were located deceased. While no foul play is currently suspected, the exact circumstances leading to their deaths remain undetermined. The discovery finally provided the men's families with the answers they had awaited for nearly five decades, bringing a measure of closure to a tragic and perplexing case.
Last Seen: Feb 20, 1976
