By Kathleen Ditton
Copyright wsvn
SUNRISE, FLA. (WSVN) – Nearly four decades after his disappearance, the remains of Howard Vaughn Gratteau and his missing pickup truck have been recovered from a lake in Sunrise by a volunteer group that specializes in solving cold cases using sonar technology.
According to Sunshine State Sonar, Gratteau, an air conditioning repairman from Davie, was last seen by his wife and stepdaughter on Sept. 1, 1986, when he left his home for a service call but never returned.
His white 1985 Toyota pickup, bearing novelty license plates reading “HOWARD2,” also vanished that day.
On Saturday night, Sunshine State Sonar located Gratteau’s submerged vehicle 42 feet deep in a lake near Southwest 12th Street and Shotgun Road.
The Broward Sheriff’s Office Dive Rescue Team recovered both the truck and human remains from the driver’s seat area, the group said. DNA testing is pending to confirm the identification.
Sunshine State Sonar credited the joint efforts of the Sunrise Police Department, Davie Police Department, BSO Dive Rescue Team and the Broward Medical Examiner for helping resolve the case.
Gratteau’s wife had long suspected her husband might have suffered an insulin-related medical emergency that led to a crash.
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