# Five bodies found in two cars in a lake. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 18, 2013, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-bodies-found-in-two-cars-in-a-lake/669120 "2013-09-18T02:54:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-bodies-found-in-two-cars-in-a-lake/669120/61 "2013-09-19T13:42:06Z")
Once again, I have to say I was probably wrong. [This story](http://www.fresnobee.com/2013/09/18/3505689/vehicles-in-lake-shed-light-on.html) says the cars were 12 feet down, only about 50 feet away from that boat ramp. It is looking more suspicious, and nobody veered off the highway, and they weren’t close together because of currents or gravity. ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-bodies-found-in-two-cars-in-a-lake/669120/62 "2013-09-19T13:49:04Z")
> [@bup](#): > > [This story](http://www.fresnobee.com/2013/09/18/3505689/vehicles-in-lake-shed-light-on.html) says the cars were 12 feet down, only about 50 feet away from that boat ramp. I once almost drove right down a boat ramp and into a lake. I’ll admit to being under an herbal influence at the time, and it was very, very dark. So it does happen, but I’m interested to find out if the forensic anthropologist finds any evidence of injuries on the bodies–just because the cars probably went down the ramp and into the water doesn’t mean the occupants were awake or alive at the time. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-bodies-found-in-two-cars-in-a-lake/669120/63 "2013-09-19T15:15:46Z")
Yeah, I wonder how much effort it takes to get a car fifty feet in if you’re dumping the car rather than driving it in. I guess it could roll a while. Anyway, yesterday I was thinking driver errors, and today I’m on the fence. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-bodies-found-in-two-cars-in-a-lake/669120/64 "2013-09-19T15:39:45Z")
> [@bup](#): > > The other one is more interesting - there were three skeletons in the car even though only two people were noticed missing. Hitchhiker. People were willing to pick up hitchers in the 50s/60s/70s. ---
**Author:** ![Yaxche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8dc957/32.png) [@Yaxche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yaxche)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-bodies-found-in-two-cars-in-a-lake/669120/65 "2013-09-19T16:33:13Z")
Clearly, we’ve found a real life [Hinzelmann](http://americangods.wikia.com/wiki/Hinzelmann). ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-bodies-found-in-two-cars-in-a-lake/669120/66 "2013-09-19T16:44:11Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > [Cold, wet cases: Oklahoma troopers stumble on five bodies in two cars at bottom of lake](http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/09/17/20547251-cold-wet-cases-oklahoma-troopers-stumble-on-five-bodies-in-two-cars-at-bottom-of-lake?lite) > > A mystery. Murder, or accident? Looking at a map, it seems Highway 44 runs very close to the lake; but I’ve never been there. Could be easy to drive into the lake if the driver was impaired or suffered a moment’s inattention. Could be convenient to dump bodies, too. Why do I get a creepy feeling this may be related to your “Hey, nonny, nonny” thread? Looks like that’s off of Interstate 40. My family and later I used to drive that stretch at least twice a year, going to and from my grandmother’s in Arkansas. Drove it around the time of the disappearances too, only I never heard about those. As for ice on a lake in Oklahoma in November, I don’t think that ever happens. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-bodies-found-in-two-cars-in-a-lake/669120/67 "2013-09-19T16:59:35Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Why do I get a creepy feeling this may be related to your “Hey, nonny, nonny” thread? My hands are clean! ---
**Author:** ![CLee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f19dbf/32.png) [@CLee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CLee)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-bodies-found-in-two-cars-in-a-lake/669120/68 "2013-09-19T17:12:50Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > They were resting comfortably in their grave. Did they just have to disturb a 50 year old grave? A lot of countries consider their fallen friends in sunken ships as graves and those wrecks are off limits to divers. > > Some things are best left alone. Let the past stay in the past. > [@aceplace57](#): > > Nah, I wasn’t even born when that first car went into the lake. I was maybe 8 went the other one went in. > > I’m just thinking of the tremendous pain this will cause the families. These people already grieved 50 years ago. They accepted that their loved ones were dead and moved on with life. Now the wound gets ripped back open? It’s going to be horrible for any surviving family. I find this to be such an odd sentiment. Wouldn’t any survivors find more peace in answers to the mystery? Surely no one finds comfort in not knowing why their relatives disappeared. Did you read this quote by a missing man’s grandson? "Tim Porter of Enid said he believed the remains in that vehicle could be those of his grandfather, John Albert Porter, who disappeared along with two other people in 1969. “Forty-something years of wondering who or why,” Porter said. “If it is my grandfather in there, it’s a gift.” Porter said he offered up a DNA sample to help authorities determine the identities of the victims,…" Read more here: [http://www.fresnobee.com/2013/09/18/3505689/vehicles-in-lake-shed-light-on.html#storylink=cpy](http://www.fresnobee.com/2013/09/18/3505689/vehicles-in-lake-shed-light-on.html#storylink=cpy) ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-bodies-found-in-two-cars-in-a-lake/669120/69 "2013-09-19T17:49:17Z")
I guess people react differently to death. I’ve lost my father, both grandparents, nearly all my aunts & uncles, and even 2 cousins just a few years older than me. All in the past 15 years. I grieve for however long it takes. I’m still grieving over the loss of my dad two years ago. After the grieving is over then I don’t like looking back. I don’t want to revisit that pain. I guess the family’s will be happy to get closure on those people in the lake. But it will bring pain too. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-bodies-found-in-two-cars-in-a-lake/669120/70 "2013-09-19T17:54:58Z")
When you say lost, do you mean that they’re missing, or that they’re dead - that you knew they had died when it happened. Because missing isn’t the same as dead. Missing keeps dragging on. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-bodies-found-in-two-cars-in-a-lake/669120/71 "2013-09-19T17:58:37Z")
Thankfully, I never had a family member go missing. That would be harder to deal with. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-bodies-found-in-two-cars-in-a-lake/669120/72 "2013-09-19T19:27:08Z")
> [@CLee](#): > > Read more here: [http://www.fresnobee.com/2013/09/18/3505689/vehicles-in-lake-shed-light-on.html#storylink=cpy](http://www.fresnobee.com/2013/09/18/3505689/vehicles-in-lake-shed-light-on.html#storylink=cpy) > [@Bob Ducca](#): > > [In this shot from Google Maps](http://i.imgur.com/mLhS6If.jpg), you can see the two dark spots in the water. ([from here](https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Elk+City&hl=en&ll=35.536352,-99.191657&spn=0.002549,0.004801&sll=47.892647,-92.073205&sspn=0.008402,0.019205&oq=elk+city&t=h&hnear=Elk+City,+Beckham,+Oklahoma&z=18)) I don’t think the dark spots you have circled are the cars. The scale on that google map indicates that the spots are about 200 ft or more from the nearest dock end, yet the news article says they were found about 50 ft from the end. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-bodies-found-in-two-cars-in-a-lake/669120/73 "2013-09-19T19:28:29Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > Hitchhiker. > > People were willing to pick up hitchers in the 50s/60s/70s. And they said it wasn’t safe to accept rides from strangers. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-bodies-found-in-two-cars-in-a-lake/669120/74 "2013-09-19T19:34:47Z")
From looking at the maps and photos, I’d say the cars came down the loopy, unnamed road, missed the turn onto Marina, and went straight down the boat ramp. Remember, this was 40 years ago and more, and I’d bet most of those roads and structures weren’t there. Probably more primitive roads and a very basic boat ramp. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-bodies-found-in-two-cars-in-a-lake/669120/75 "2013-09-20T02:51:39Z")
I guess now Oklahoma is going to check every lake in the state. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-bodies-found-in-two-cars-in-a-lake/669120/76 "2013-09-20T04:39:47Z")
I’m reminded of the Ann Rule story about a young woman who disappeared mysteriously in Washington state (Seattle area?). Many years later her car was found deep underwater, jammed in a section of a bridge. No one knows how she apparently drove off the bridge or why the supposed accident went undetected for so long (naturally, some insist there was foul play). ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-bodies-found-in-two-cars-in-a-lake/669120/77 "2013-09-20T04:52:02Z")
[The latest CNN story](http://edition.cnn.com/2013/09/19/us/oklahoma-lake-bodies/index.html?hpt=us_c1) says: \*\*"Tantalizing clues emerged this week: The Camaro was found with all four windows rolled down and appeared to have entered the water backwards. ## “The other car, a Chevy, was found with the driver’s side door open.”\*\* But then right after that, it says the sheriff thinks these were likely accidents, so go figure. ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-bodies-found-in-two-cars-in-a-lake/669120/78 "2013-09-20T05:06:39Z")
Some odd details in [this article](http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/19/us/oklahoma-lake-bodies/) (ninja’d!) > [@](#): > > The Camaro was found with all four windows rolled down and appeared to have entered the water backwards. > > The other car, a Chevy, was found with the driver’s side door open. It’s hard to get out of the back of a 69 Camaro. The rear windows are just small quarter glasses. You have to tilt the seat up and crawl out. If the driver was incapacitated and laid down across both front seats, anyone in the rear would be done for. So maybe he got drunk and passed out, knocked the car out of gear, and Bob’s your uncle. The other one having the door open is more puzzling. > [@Musicat](#): > > I don’t think the dark spots you have circled are the cars. The scale on that google map indicates that the spots are about 200 ft or more from the nearest dock end, yet the news article says they were found about 50 ft from the end. I agree. [This](http://www.thedailyelkcitian.com/local-news/crime/2788-secrets-continue-to-surface-from-foss-lake) story says the cops had their equipment out there and the parks department asked them to take a sonar photo of the end of the boat ramp because they are planning to extend it. The cars showed up at the end of the ramp, about 50 feet from shore. I don’t think they would appear dark either. In [this image](http://i4.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article2282048.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/Foss-Lake-4-2282048.jpg), they are mud colored, same as the bottom of the lake, which you can’t see anyway. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-bodies-found-in-two-cars-in-a-lake/669120/79 "2013-09-20T08:41:28Z")
This seems to happen quite often: [The Lost Wreck | Snopes.com](http://www.snopes.com/horrors/gruesome/lostwreck.asp) I vaguely remember one where the wreck wasn’t underwater, it was just off an embankment by the side of the road or something. Maybe snow was involved. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2013, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-bodies-found-in-two-cars-in-a-lake/669120/80 "2013-09-21T05:54:57Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Hot Dog! A chance to get a low-miles First Generation Camaro! REstoration costs are likely to be very high…amazing there is anything left [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-bodies-found-in-two-cars-in-a-lake/669120.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-bodies-found-in-two-cars-in-a-lake/669120.md?page=5)