HOUSTON COUNTY, Ala (WDHN)—The body of a Houston County man missing for 28 years may have been found in a Florida river.
According to Houston County Sheriff Donald Valenza, during cleanup operations from Hurricane Idalia, salvage crews were working at a boat ramp on the Steinhatchee River in Dixie County, Florida Wednesday when they found a Sam’s card and identification bearing the name James Aaron Toole, who went missing in February 1995. The discovered happened an one hour away from Gainesville, Florida.
A release from the Dixie County Sheriff’s Office in Cross City, Florida, stated workers discovered partial human remains among the items found at the ramp. During a search by the sheriff’s office dive teams, several pieces of a submerged vehicle and more human remains were found.
Houston County Sheriff’s Captain Donovan Arias said he and several Houston County Sheriff’s Office officials traveled to Dixie County to assist in the investigation and confirmed the car to be a Chevrolet.
Valenza said his office sent DNA to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and they are waiting for a confirmation of the identity.
The Houston County Sheriff’s Office has notified Toole’s next of kin.