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Oregon-based diving team helps in local cold case search

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Posted at 8:44 PM, Jan 18, 2022
and last updated 2022-01-19 22:07:21-05

WHITNEY, Texas — Meridian resident John Creech went missing 13 years ago, but late last year law enforcement reopened his disappearance case.

According to a Bosque County Sheriff's Office Facebook post, law enforcement was "informed of the possibility Creech's remains might be located at Lake Whitney".

The department brought in the organization Adventures with a Purpose to help with their search.

"We are an underwater search and sonar dive and recovery team," lead diver Douglas Bishop told 25 News. "We specialize in cold cases, specifically cold cases that involve a vehicle."

With their help during a three-day search of the lake, they found 15 cars underwater. Two of those vehicles were recovered and six were searched but unable to be removed.

The divers travel the county and use sonar technology to help in situations like this.

"We are able to use multiple forms of sonar, combine them together along with what we taught ourselves over the last three years and we are using it in an amazing way," Bishop said. We start topside with sonar and are able to detect vehicles. We're cold case divers also and are able to dive on the cases we find."

Bishop told 25 news they've been able to help bring closure to many families across the country and hope to add Creech's family to that list soon.

"It's honoring to be able to help families dealing with horrible tragedies and have no answers to be able to obtain those answers and give it to them," Bishop said. "It's very rewarding."

He did call their mission in Whitney successful but was unable to provide more information. 25 News reached out to the Bosque County Sheriff's Office for an interview but was told they were unavailable at this time.