Dedicated YouTuber helps find man who was missing for 10 years

The remains of a man who had been missing for a decade have been recovered thanks to the work of a YouTuber.

James Hinkle is the man behind YouTube channel Echo Divers and committed to researching the case of Donnie Erwin's disappearance.

Erwin went missing on December 29, 2013 after leaving his house in Camdenton, Missouri.

Veteran Erwin was known to be driving a 2002 Hyundai Elantra. After a year of research, Hinkle was able to find a car submerged in the Southern Camden County pond.

He was able to find the vehicle using freshwater mapping technology and it was later confirmed that the licence plate matched the one from the car belonging to Erwin.

The Camden County Sheriff’s Office then confirmed that remains were found in the car, as well as an artificial hip which matched the type Erwin had.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Hikle said: "I'm happy for the family, sad that they're now going to go through the actual grieving process to know that he's deceased but after spending time with the family, they are grieving but happy to know they finally have answers. You can't put into words what that means and what that feels like."

The sheriff’s office said that "while a forensic pathologist will have to examine the remains to determine for certain if they are indeed those of Mr. Erwin, investigators are confident the hip and remains belong to him”.

A news release from the department added: "All of us at the Camden County Sheriff's Office who have investigated this case for ten years are elated at the recovery and overjoyed with the closure we know this brings to the family.”

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