Myrtle Beach Man Unearth 40-Year-Old Cold Case with Homemade Sonar Device
In a breakthrough turn of events, a man from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, employing a homemade sonar device, has unearthed a sunken car linked with a chilling cold case mystery from the past four decades.
The Discovery
Jason Souhrada, a dedicated hobbyist and X-ray technician by trade at Conway Medical Center, crafted the extraordinary device at the cost of a few hundred dollars. His ingenious sonar apparatus, a waterproof box tethered to a boogie board, facilitated the discovery of a vehicle submerged in Jack’s Creek, Eastern North Carolina, which concealed human remains from three missing men. The vehicle had reportedly been undisturbed beneath the water surface for more than 40 years.
The Long-Forgotten Cold Case
Drawn to cold cases from following various dive teams on social platforms and YouTube, Souhrada was particularly intrigued by an unresolved case from Washington, North Carolina. On December 10, 1982, three men — Bill Clifton, David McMicken, and Michael Norman — were last seen at a bar. Post that night, they were never found and were assumed to be dead, leaving the case cold and the families in grief for years.
The Search Operation
Motivated by his drive to give closure to the grieving families, Souhrada used his custom-built sonar device to probe creeks inaccessible by boats, which had otherwise been overlooked by the official search teams. His efforts came to fruition within 24 hours of initiating the search when he spotted indications of the car, which lay among the creek’s 12 to the15-foot depth.
Upon recovering the submerged car from the creek, police confirmed that the vehicle’s remains belonged to the three missing men. The long-awaited confirmation facilitated a sense of closure to the distressed families.
Marching towards Another Mystery
Post the successful resolution of his first case, Souhrada expressed keen intent to unravel another unresolved case nearer to his home in South Carolina. This case involves Tommy Brailey, a 52-year-old who mysteriously disappeared more than seven years ago, believed to be resting at the bottom of a body of water in a car. Indeed, inspiring the community with his breakthrough efforts, Souhrada vows to continue using his unique skills and device to bring justice and closure to grieving families.
Acknowledgements
This article is compiled by HERE News based on factual information and was first reported by the HERE News Network.
Author: STAFF HERE MYRTLE BEACH
The HERE Myrtle Beach Staff Writers are a collaborative team of journalists, editors, and local contributors passionate about delivering accurate, timely information to the Myrtle Beach community. As part of the HEREcity.com Network, which powers over 100 U.S. city sites including HEREcolumbia.com, our staff draws on collective experience in South Carolina journalism to cover everything from business sales and real estate developments to dining deals and community initiatives. Our Expertise and Background Local Roots in Myrtle Beach Our team includes lifelong Myrtle Beach residents and SC natives with deep knowledge of the area’s history, economy, and culture. We’ve covered key events like the recent developments along the Grand Strand, Myrtle Beach’s tourism and hospitality industry, and growth in local education sectors (e.g., Coastal Carolina University programs). Collective Experience With over 50 combined years in journalism, our staff has backgrounds in print, digital media, and community reporting. We prioritize fact-based stories, drawing from sources like the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, city government records, and on-the-ground interviews. Commitment to Quality Every article is a group effort, involving research, editing, and verification to ensure reliability. We adhere to journalistic standards, citing credible sources and updating content as new details emerge.
