(AP) — A pickup truck found in Mississippi belongs to an 81-year-old Louisiana man who has been missing for nearly a year, authorities said.
Cadaver dogs found human remains not far from the truck, but they have yet to be identified.
Welton “Wick” Pierce of Zachary, Louisiana, was last seen Oct. 27 driving his GMC Sierra truck on a highway in Jackson, Mississippi. Investigators had suspected he left the highway and turned onto a back road.
Owners of a plot of land used for hunting in Adams County, about 100 miles southwest of Jackson, discovered the truck Friday, said Zachary Police Chief David McDavid. He said dogs brought to the scene quickly found remains nearby, news outlets reported.
“It’s still under investigation for foul play, but nothing supports that right now,” McDavid said Saturday.
Pierce’s family told investigators he didn’t tell anyone where he was going on the day he vanished, and that he suffered from possible dementia.
Less than two months after Piece went missing, his wife, 79-year-old Mildred Pierce, died after her vehicle crashed into a pond and sank. McDavid said her death was believed to be accidental.