Remains of man missing 5 years found in truck ‘buried deep’ in river, Illinois cops say

Human remains found in a stolen truck sunken in the Mississippi River have been identified as a missing man, spurring a homicide investigation in Illinois, police say.

The truck was discovered close to a boat ramp in September, McClatchy News reported, but investigators recently learned the remains are those of Daniel Claeys, an East Moline resident missing since 2019, East Moline police said in a Dec. 12 news release.

He was found in a truck reported stolen in 2017, according to police. How it ended up in the Mississippi River isn’t exactly clear, but investigators believe it was resting in the murky water for a long time, saying it was “buried deep in the mud.”

Police have not said who discovered the truck or how.

After it was pulled out of the river and onto shore, human remains were found inside, police said.

About three months later, on Dec. 9, the Rock Island County Coroner’s Office told police a DNA analysis showed the remains matched Claeys. Claeys would be 36 years old if he were alive today.

“Family has been notified and they now have some closure knowing their family member has been located,” police said.

However, the investigation into Claeys’ alleged killing is underway.

“East Moline investigators have been working this case since the discovery and will work tirelessly to find out for the family the circumstances surrounding Daniel Claeys disappearance and death,” police said.

East Moline is a roughly 160-mile drive southwest from Chicago.

This story was originally published December 15, 2024 at 8:52 AM with the headline "Remains of man missing 5 years found in truck ‘buried deep’ in river, Illinois cops say."