BODY FOUND: 23 Cars Underwater… One Held The Truth

BODY FOUND IN MISSISSIPPI RIVER: SEARCH OF 23 SUBMERGED CARS BRINGS CLOSURE IN DISAPPEARANCE OF 92-YEAR-OLD VETERAN

EAST MOLINE, Ill. — For nearly two months, William “Bill” Weber seemed to have vanished without a trace.

The 92-year-old Korean War veteran, a Purple Heart recipient and lifelong resident of the Quad Cities area, left his apartment one night in March and never returned. His car was gone. His walker was gone. There was no phone activity, no financial transactions, no license-plate reader hits, and no surveillance footage.

For his family, the absence of answers was agonizing.

That uncertainty ended when a volunteer dive team located Weber’s vehicle submerged in the Mississippi River — one of at least 23 cars resting unseen beneath the water’s surface — with Weber inside.

A Disappearance That Defied Logic

Weber was known as a man of routine. Family members described him as “a creature of habit.” Every day followed the same rhythm: meals at familiar places, short drives, evenings at home by 6:15 p.m.

“He hadn’t driven at night in over 13 years,” a family member told search specialist Doug Bishop. “For him to get up in the middle of the night and just leave… it made no sense.”

Weber used a walker and required daily medications, none of which he took with him. His vehicle, a silver Chevrolet with an Illinois Purple Heart license plate, was last seen near his apartment complex in East Moline. After that, nothing.

Law enforcement agencies searched extensively, including parts of the Mississippi River and the Rock River. Flooding complicated efforts, and the sheer volume of water made the task overwhelming.

“Trying to find him felt like trying to find a needle in a haystack,” a family member said. “But we needed closure.”

A Specialized Search Begins

That search took a critical turn when the family contacted Doug Bishop, founder of United Search Corps, a nonprofit organization specializing in water-based search and recovery. Bishop, a former law enforcement officer with hundreds of recoveries to his name, drove several hours to East Moline over Memorial Day weekend.

“It just felt like I needed to be there,” Bishop said. “He served this country. The least I could do was try to bring him home.”

Bishop teamed up with Chaos Divers, a group experienced in sonar scanning and underwater recovery. Using advanced sonar technology, the team began systematically scanning sections of the Mississippi River near Empire Park — an area Weber was known to drive through regularly.

What they found was startling.

Sonar revealed not one vehicle, but many.

“There are cars everywhere down there,” Bishop said later. “Some have been there a long time. Some not as long. Most people have no idea.”

One Car Held the Answer

After identifying multiple submerged vehicles, the team focused on one that appeared consistent with Weber’s car. The location was treacherous: strong currents, poor visibility, and submerged debris made diving extremely dangerous.

Bishop entered the water personally.

Despite the conditions, he was able to confirm key details: the vehicle matched Weber’s description, and a Korean War sticker on the rear further identified it as his. Inside the car was Weber.

The driver’s side window was partially down. The current had already begun to pull at the interior.

“He was coming out,” Bishop said. “I had to secure him immediately so we wouldn’t lose him to the river.”

Bishop stabilized the scene, securing Weber inside the vehicle and rigging the car for recovery.

A Delicate and Dangerous Recovery

Cantrell’s Towing and Recovery, a heavy-recovery company experienced in river operations, was called in to assist. Owner Aaron Tennant coordinated closely with Bishop and the dive teams, relying entirely on their guidance.

“When you’re pulling something out of the river, you’re trusting what the divers are telling you,” Tennant said. “You can’t see what’s underwater. Communication is everything.”

Fire department boats and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources secured the area, halting river traffic upstream and downstream. Slowly and carefully, the vehicle was winched from the river.

No one was injured during the operation.

“That’s always the goal,” Tennant said. “Bring everyone home safely.”

Confirmation and Closure

East Moline police confirmed that the vehicle belonged to Weber. While the investigation remains ongoing, authorities do not suspect foul play.

“This appears to be a tragic accident,” police said in a statement.

For Weber’s family, the recovery brought devastating news — but also relief.

After weeks of not knowing where he was or what happened, they finally had answers.

“He’s home,” a family member said quietly at the scene.

A Larger, Hidden Problem

The case has drawn attention to a sobering reality: America’s waterways hold countless submerged vehicles, many tied to missing-person cases that were never solved.

“People assume someone would notice a car going into the water,” Bishop said. “But it happens all the time with no witnesses.”

Advances in sonar technology, combined with experienced search teams, have led to a growing number of cold cases being resolved nationwide. Bishop estimates that thousands of missing-person cases may still involve vehicles underwater.

“Finding where someone is not is progress,” he said. “Finding them is closure.”

Remembering Bill Weber

Weber worked for 43 years at the Alcoa plant across the river, raised a family, and served his country in the Korean War. Those who knew him described him as quiet, dependable, and proud of his service.

In a moment of remembrance, friends and volunteers honored Weber in a simple way he would have appreciated — a nod to his daily ritual.

“At 6:15 every night,” one volunteer said, “he had a pickle, a beer, and a shot of brandy.”

This time, it was poured out in his honor.

Moving Forward

As the recovery team packed up equipment and the river returned to its steady flow, Bishop reflected on the mission.

“This is why we do this,” he said. “Not for views. Not for recognition. For families who deserve answers.”

For East Moline, the mystery of William “Bill” Weber is no longer unsolved.

And for one family, the waiting is finally over.