Skeletal remains believed to be those of an Owensboro man who vanished nearly 18 years ago were discovered Friday inside a vehicle recovered from the Green River in Henderson County, according to the Owensboro Police Department.
Investigators said they believe the remains are those of Charles William Haywood, who was 91 years old when he was reported missing on July 31, 2008. Positive identification is pending DNA testing and dental record comparisons through the Kentucky Medical Examiner’s Office in Louisville.
The discovery came one day after a truck connected to Haywood’s disappearance was recovered from the Green River near the Spottsville Boat Ramp. Owensboro Times previously reported on the vehicle’s recovery0.
According to OPD, hobbyist diver Trey Lombardo contacted Owensboro-Daviess County Dispatch shortly before noon Thursday after locating a submerged vehicle near the boat ramp. Lombardo, who searches waterways for missing persons in his spare time, was able to retrieve the vehicle’s license plate, which matched Haywood’s missing persons case.
Lt. Chris Green, supervisor of OPD’s Criminal Investigation Division, said detectives responded to the scene and worked with the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office and the Ohio Township Fire Department dive team from Indiana to recover the vehicle.
The truck was removed from the river Thursday evening and transported to the Owensboro Police Department, where it was secured overnight.
“We conducted a search of the vehicle this morning, and in the vehicle, we could locate skeletal remains, along with a wallet and driver’s license belonging to Mr. Charles Haywood,” Green said during a Friday press conference.
Investigators said a wallet containing Haywood’s driver’s license was found inside the vehicle. Green said nothing currently indicates the remains belong to anyone else, though testing will be completed to confirm the identity.
At this time, foul play is not suspected.
“The vehicle was secured, doors were shut, all the windows were intact,” Green said. “We don’t have anything right now that would indicate that it is somebody different.”
Green said the vehicle was found directly beyond the boat ramp in approximately 35 feet of water.
When asked whether evidence suggests the truck entered the river from the ramp, Green said, “It appears that the vehicle went just directly in the water from the ramp.”
Investigators are continuing to examine how Haywood ended up in the river, though Green acknowledged the challenges of reconstructing events that occurred nearly two decades ago.
“Anything we can do at this point, now that we have an ending location, to try to backtrack,” Green said. “However, with it being almost 20 years ago, video footage won’t be there, cell phones weren’t present or around during those times, so we’ll do what we can to confirm how he ended up at that ramp.”
Green said Haywood was last seen leaving Owensboro Health Regional Hospital after visiting family. Investigators reviewed hundreds of hours of video and conducted numerous interviews during the original investigation.
“We’ve seen his vehicle driving with him in it, things like that, on video,” Green said. “But exactly from the moments leading up to leaving the hospital to when he was reported missing, we’re unsure.”
Authorities said they have been in contact with Haywood’s family since confirming the license plate number on Thursday. Family members were present for much of the vehicle recovery effort.
“It’s mixed emotions,” Green said. “You’ve got a long time to think where he’s at, so it’s a very mixed emotion.”
The case remained active throughout the years, and Green credited former OPD detective Nathan Godeky, who later joined the Daviess County Sheriff’s Office, for continuing to pursue leads long after the initial investigation.
“He never stopped working on this case,” Green said. “He has worked with groups diving in areas, having helicopters flown over areas. He has never stopped looking, so it was good for him to see a closure on this case that he’s worked on for so long.”
Green said investigators do not believe the Spottsville area was ever among the locations searched during the original investigation, despite Haywood’s history of fishing and spending time around rivers and boats.
As the investigation moves toward its conclusion, Green said his thoughts remain with Haywood’s family.
“Our thoughts are with his family,” Green said. “Hopefully, this can bring resolution, some closure, and those kinds of things.”
