Found Deceased IA - Ethan Kazmerzak, 22, Hampton, 15 Sept 2013 *vehicle found*

..
Adventures with Purpose, the youtube diver's team that located Ethan's car, did a live update today. About 27 minutes into the video, they said that the body was found in the back seat of the vehicle (live updates show the time remaining in the video, not the time elapse, so if you hover over the progress bar, look for it around the 43 minute mark).



The sheriff brought in their own team to pull the car after Adventures with Purpose found it, so it sounds like it was something told to them by the sheriff rather than actually witnessing it themselves, but it is very interesting.

I wonder if it's at all possible for a unseatbelted body to float to the backseat? Seems unlikely.

They also mentioned something about the front windshield, but I kind of flaked it when they said it, and I don't want to search for it - they said that it was either missing or smashed in. Not sure of the relevance of that, if there is any at all.

Edit: sorry for the duplicate embedded youtube video; I see someone already had posted it previously.

Edit 2: the windshield was nagging me so I had to go back to see what they said...the windshield was caved in.

 

This vid shows which gravel pit the car/remains were found in - the westernmost of the pits, which I believe was nearest the location of that night's party that Ethan was at.

 

This is the location the car was found 42.808763, -93.232556

 

The YouTube video in post 61 of this thread states the car/remains were located in the pit where the party was at the night EK went missing. Which is also where Ethan's phone last pinged. Just like you thought. Kudos Itsrak!!

 

The coordinates are in the description of the video.
42.808763, -93.232556

 

Just bumping...for review.

ETA: lots of comments also under the now updated HC link FWIW.

 

Remains found in submerged car of Iowa man reported missing in 2013

 

The roof of that car sat just 8 feet below the surface for 7 years.....

Kudos to Adventure With Purpose. They as private citizens went in and did what LE failed to and in short order got this case resolved. Well done.

 

I agree and they deserve the reward money. MOO They stated in their video that they will use the money for better/more equipment. These guys are awesome! MOO

 

OMG-- so LE did NOT check the pits thoroughly at the beginning ??
Or they did and missed finding his car ?? (hard to believe missing it)

Seems like common sense to me to be checking and rechecking both pits continuously but I am not LE.

Kudos to "Adventure with Purpose"
What an awesome job finding Ethan.
Now the question, how did he and his car get in there?
DUI maybe?? Although I would think someone at the party would have seen or heard it.
Something more nefarious ??
At any rate, his family can have proper burial of a sort and at least now know where he is.

 

It was searched two times shortly after he went missing. Maybe they had poor equipment or didn't go a good job searching it?

So

 

I'm thinking Ethan's vehicle quite possibly struck a deer, smashing the windshield inward, causing loss of control of vehicle....

 

'The car will tell its own story:' details of Kazmerzak case still coming together
October 28, 2020

Snipped...
..."I am very familiar with the details of the initial search," Dodd said. "We know that pond was searched two or three days after Ethan went missing. We went back again that same November (2013.) It was the first body of water we looked at."

Dodd, who was not in office at the time of Kazmerzak's disappearance, said he's unsure how the vehicle went undetected during the first search.

"We have documentation of the search, we have photos of divers looking in that very spot," Dodd said. "I just don't have an answer."

He said his office is going back over notes and files from the initial investigation efforts, but declined to elaborate further.

 

Didn't the long AWP video say crime scene not accident scene?

 

At 19:50 in the AWP video

 

Body found in vehicle identified as Ethan Kazmerzak Ethan has been officially identified. Rest in peace young man. I'm thankful his family and friends finally can have some closure in that he has finally been found. Still alot of unanswered questions in IMO.

 

RiP Ethan....so sorry to learn you were RIGHT THERE!!

Thank you to AwP, without you guys time would continue to stand still for so many.

 

Body found in vehicle identified as Ethan Kazmerzak
Media interviewer: "Are you treating this as a criminal/foul-play situation?"
Franklin County sheriff: "We're not".

Thus, LE has apparently concluded that this young man died an accidental death.

This case in some ways parallels that of Brian Shaffer, in that:
1) Young man out partying in wee hours disappears without a trace.
2) Extensive search produces nothing.
3) The years roll by, still nothing.

In Ethan's case, case was solved when private party accessed area where last seen, got the job done that LE didn't. In Brian's case, no private party has accessed the area (a complex housing several businesses, including the bar outside which Brian was last seen) where Brian was last seen. I believe Brian Shaffer may have died in an accident in that site (part of which was an active, completely dug up construction project), his remains there, likely buried, to this day...

OH - OH - Brian Shaffer, 27, Columbus, 1 April 2006 - #4

 

Here's the AWP vid showing the discovery of Ethan submerged in his vehicle and the recovery operation. Kudos to AWP for their successful efforts. They rectified a failed, incompetent search and brought resolution. And what did they get for their trouble? - they got screwed out of the supposed reward. Nice.

 

I rest my case. Glad this one is finally done.