Remains found in recovered vehicle on Tuesday

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that human remains have been found in the vehicle that earlier today was retrieved from a rural Franklin County pond.

On Tuesday morning, the Sheriff’s Office in a release stated that a vehicle, believed to be Ethan Kazmerzak’s, was found by dive team Adventures with Purpose in a body of water northwest of Hampton on Monday afternoon.

Kazmerzak was last seen on Sept. 15, 2013, driving a 2006 Volkswagen. Recovery efforts by area law enforcement proceeded on Tuesday morning and the vehicle was recovered Tuesday afternoon, where law enforcement located the remains.

Sheriff Aaron Dodd said law enforcement could not confirm whether the body was Kazmerzak’s and said investigation into the case is ongoing.

Check back with the Hampton Chronicle as more details become available.

Below is the press release:

Recovery efforts for Ethan Kazmerzak’s Volkswagen were completed today around 1:30 pm. Kazmerzak and his vehicle have been missing since September 15th 2013. The vehicle was recovered using divers from the Story County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team. Kazmerzak’s 2006 Volkswagen was removed from a pond northwest of Hampton, Iowa.

Investigation at the scene identified human remains in the car, which will be sent to the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner in Ankeny, Iowa for identification.

A special thank you for the diligent efforts of the Adventures with Purpose Crew that resulted in the discovery.

Assisting on scene were the Hampton Police Department, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Franklin County Emergency Management, Butler County Emergency Management, Story County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team, Franklin General Ambulance, Hampton Fire Department and the Franklin County Medical Examiner.

Aaron Dodd, Sheriff

Franklin County, Iowa