The discovery of a car and human remains in a North Carolina creek could provide answers to the 1982 cold case.

An investigation into a 41-year-old mystery may be solved by a car found submerged in a North Carolina creek last Friday.

On December 10, 1982, three men, William Clifton, David McMicken, and Michael Norman, disappeared after leaving a bar in Chocowinity. The last time they were seen was in a black and white 1975 Chevrolet Camaro, according to police.

The case of the missing men has remained unsolved for years, leaving the families and community in despair. However, a breakthrough has been made, bringing renewed hope to all involved, thanks to the efforts of a stranger.

A Myrtle Beach native, Jason Souhrada, played a crucial part in reopening the case.

He was inspired by YouTube videos featuring individuals repeatedly searching the town without finding what they were looking for.

Why hadn't Souhrada explored Jack's Creek, a body of water in Washington, located about 4 miles from Chocowinity?

"Souhrada was inspired by YouTubers who searched multiple times in that town but couldn't find them. He wondered why they didn't search the body of water and realized they couldn't access it with regular boats."

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He constructed a remote-controlled sonar device using a Boogie Board and a sonar contained in a protective case.

"I decided to build a sonar boat because I don't have a real boat or a place to keep one. A real boat would have been too expensive, and I only wanted to scan retention ponds and other areas that real boats can't access. Many missing people have been found in retention ponds."

Souhrada embarked on two journeys to North Carolina. Initially, he scanned a car-like object in a pond on a dirt road using Google Earth. However, upon discovering that it wasn't a car, he shifted his attention to Jack's Creek and began scanning there.

"After reviewing the video footage on the scanner, I noticed what appeared to be an upside-down car, but I was uncertain, as this was my first time discovering anything. To confirm my findings, I consulted with four dive teams nationwide before returning for another scan to obtain additional images."

Washington Chief of Police Phil Rollinson and Sidney Dive Team Captain John Scott Rose Jr. received his findings.

On Feb. 9, 2024, a dive team was formed with the coordinates given by Souhrada to investigate the creek. The family members of the missing men were also present.

The reality hit me deeply when I stepped onto the site.

"Rose told Planet Chronicle that we were very hopeful that the vehicle he was looking at was the one we saw, but the dives went as usual with normal bad visibility and depth for the area. There were a lot of mud, trees, and fishing lines all over everything from years of people fishing in there. Tree stumps, logs, and other debris floated in and out of the place."

Rose was the diver who successfully located the vehicle.

"After 45 minutes of searching, he discovered the vehicle in such poor condition that he couldn't determine if it was an automotive or something else. It appeared small, but upon closer inspection, he realized that it was small due to the lack of parts, leaving only the chassis, axles, and motor."

According to Rose, approximately four million gallons of water from Jack's Creek were drained by the diving team and law enforcement to retrieve the vehicle.

The Camaro that was last seen with Clifton, McMicken, and Norman was positively identified as the significantly deteriorated vehicle found underwater after decades, according to Rollinson.

Authorities sent human remains discovered inside a car to a medical examiner's office for identification. Police will wait for identification before determining if foul play was involved.

The families of the missing men are now waiting for the identification results. In a joint statement, they have requested privacy to grieve, reflect, and process these events at their own pace.

"Rollinson stated that the individuals were highly grateful for our efforts and expressed their deepest appreciation for the large number of people involved in recovering the vehicle and the remains that could be retrieved. Our goal is to provide them with some sense of closure."

Clifton's daughter, Lea Rose, highlighted the families' collective appreciation.

"Thanks to Jason Souhrada's sacrifice, we have this potential chance for closure. However, this has reopened wounds and initiated the grieving process anew for three families. Despite the pain, there's a slight relief in finally having some answers."

"ReAnne Mayo, Clifton's other daughter, told Planet Chronicle that she felt like she was in a dream when she discovered the missing children. She never thought to prepare herself for such a situation and had been unaware of her father's whereabouts for years, even when they were watching the sunset near the creek together."