In a remarkable turn of events, human remains believed to be those of Donnie Erwin, a man who went missing in Missouri in 2013, have been discovered in a pond with the help of a YouTuber. James Hinkle, who runs the channel Echo Videos, had been searching the area for clues related to Erwin's disappearance. Hinkle, who oversees a scuba diving search and rescue team, became interested in the case because Erwin was a veteran and lived near his home in Clinton, Missouri.

The breakthrough came when Hinkle, while flying his drone, spotted a submerged vehicle in a small pond on private property. He immediately alerted the authorities, who confirmed that the vehicle, a Hyundai Elantra, belonged to Erwin. On Sunday, with the assistance of cadaver dogs, divers were able to recover human remains from the pond, as well as an artificial hip consistent with the one Erwin had.

While a forensic pathologist will need to examine the remains to confirm their identity, investigators are confident that they belong to Erwin. The Camden County Sheriff's Office, which has been investigating the case for ten years, expressed their elation at the recovery and the closure it brings to the family. They also thanked the countless volunteers who have assisted in the search over the years.

The discovery was made possible by the collaboration between Hinkle and the property owner, who had been contacted by Hinkle after his drone discovery. Hinkle, along with deputies and detectives from the Camden County Sheriff's Office and members of the Mid-County Fire Protection District Dive Team, searched the pond and verified that the license plate on the submerged vehicle matched Erwin's missing Hyundai.

The news of the human remains found in connection to the 2013 missing person's case quickly spread. The Camden County Sheriff's Office released a news statement, acknowledging the assistance of James Hinkle and his YouTube channel Echo Divers in locating the submerged vehicle. They also mentioned that cadaver dogs played a crucial role in identifying the specific area of the pond where the remains were found.

Donnie Erwin, a Missouri veteran who had been missing for ten years, was last seen driving the same Hyundai Elantra that was recovered from the pond. James Hinkle, a popular YouTuber with over one million subscribers, chronicled his year-long search for Erwin on his channel "Echo Divers." Hinkle used freshwater mapping technology to locate the submerged vehicle and scuba divers from his team confirmed its identity.

Although investigators have yet to determine the cause of Erwin's death, Hinkle has hypothesized that it could have been a pure accident. Erwin was making an early morning cigarette run, and it was still dark outside. He did not take his glasses with him, which would have impaired his vision. Hinkle raised the possibility that Erwin's death was a tragic accident due to poor visibility.

The discovery of human remains brings closure to the family of Donnie Erwin, who expressed their gratitude on social media. Erwin's sister, Yvonne Erwin-Bowen, wrote a heartfelt message on Facebook, saying that although her brother is no longer with them, they now know where he is and can rejoice in that knowledge.

Detectives are continuing their investigation to determine how Erwin ended up in the water. While suicide was initially considered as a possibility, the circumstances surrounding his disappearance suggest that it could have been an accident. The Camden County Sheriff's Office is working diligently to uncover the truth and provide answers to the family after a decade of uncertainty.

The collaboration between a dedicated YouTuber and law enforcement has brought a long-awaited breakthrough in the case of Donnie Erwin's disappearance. The discovery of the submerged vehicle and subsequent recovery of human remains has provided closure for the family and gratitude for the countless volunteers who have assisted in the search over the years. As the investigation continues, authorities hope to uncover the circumstances surrounding Erwin's tragic fate and bring a sense of justice to his loved ones.