In a startling discovery that has captured the attention of Chicago and beyond, a search for a couple missing for over half a century has uncovered nearly 100 submerged vehicles in the Chicago River. The effort, led by the Chaos Divers, a sonar search and recovery dive team, was initially focused on solving the cold case of Edward and Stephania Andrews, who vanished on May 15, 1970. While the search has yet to yield answers about the coupleās fate, the unexpected finding of 97 cars has raised new questions about the riverās hidden secrets and the circumstances surrounding the Andrewsā disappearance.
The Disappearance of Edward and Stephania Andrews
Edward and Stephania Andrews, a married couple from Arlington Heights, a northwestern suburb of Chicago, disappeared under mysterious circumstances on May 15, 1970. That evening, the couple attended a cocktail party at the Sheraton Hotel, located at 505 N. Michigan Avenue in downtown Chicago. Reports indicate that the couple had been drinking during the event, and Edward, who was driving, reportedly crashed into the parking garage door as they left the hotel.
Witnesses suggested that Edward may have driven southbound in the northbound lanes, potentially leading them toward the Chicago River. Their yellow 1969 Oldsmobile 442, a distinctive vehicle at the time, was never found, and the couple was reported missing the following Monday. The case quickly became one of Chicagoās enduring mysteries. Initial investigations turned up few leads, with police noting markings on pillars along Lower Wacker Drive that hinted at a possible accident, but no concrete evidence was uncovered.
A renewed effort in 1994 to locate the couple provided no significant breakthroughs, leaving their disappearance an open wound for their family and the community. For 55 years, the fate of Edward and Stephania Andrews has remained unresolved, with theories ranging from an accidental plunge into the river to more sinister possibilities involving foul play. The lack of closure has kept the case alive in the publicās imagination, prompting periodic efforts to uncover new clues.
šØBREAKING FROM CHICAGO
— SANTINO (@MichaelSCollura) September 6, 2025
Nearly 100 cars found in Chicago River amid search for missing couple
The search for answers in a decades-old mystery led divers to a stunning discovery in the Chicago River this week.
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The Chaos Diversā recent search, which began on August 27, 2025, aimed to bring resolution to this decades-old cold case. Using advanced sonar technology, the team hoped to locate the Andrewsā Oldsmobile in the murky waters of the Chicago River. What they found instead was a staggering number of submerged vehicles, none of which have been identified as the coupleās car. This unexpected discovery has shifted the focus of the investigation, raising questions about how so many cars ended up in the river and whether any of them hold clues to the Andrewsā fate.
The Chaos Diversā Shocking Discovery
The Chaos Divers, a southern Illinois-based search and recovery team, are known for their work in using sonar technology to locate submerged objects and assist in solving cold cases. Their mission in Chicago was part of a broader effort to address 10 local cold cases, with a particular focus on the Andrewsā disappearance. On August 27, 2025, the team began their search at the Richard J. Daley Boat Launch on the cityās Lower West Side, scanning the Chicago River between Cicero Avenue and Diversey Parkway. What they uncovered was far beyond what anyone had anticipated.
Using sonar, the Chaos Divers initially detected more than 60 vehicles submerged in the river. As they continued their search over the following days, the count rose to an astonishing 97 cars. Jacob Grubbs, the founder of Chaos Divers, noted that finding vehicles in bodies of water is not uncommon for their team, but the sheer number discovered in the Chicago River was unprecedented. āItās not uncommon for us to find vehicles, heck, thatās what we do,ā Grubbs said in a statement. However, the scale of this discovery has left both the team and local authorities grappling with its implications.
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On Wednesday, August 28, 2025, the Chicago Police Departmentās Dive Team responded to the boat launch to recover one of the vehicles, a Nissan, which was impeding boat traffic near 31st Street and Western Avenue. The vehicle was heavily damaged, likely from collisions with larger boats over time, but it provided no immediate connection to the Andrews case.
As of now, 75 of the 97 vehicles have been cleared, but none have been identified as the yellow 1969 Oldsmobile 442 belonging to Edward and Stephania. The Chaos Divers have continued their work, combing both the North and South Branches of the river, and plan to return to the Chicago River before shifting their focus to the Calumet River.
The discovery of these vehicles has sparked widespread curiosity and speculation. How did nearly 100 cars end up submerged in the Chicago River? Were they abandoned, involved in accidents, or deliberately disposed of to conceal crimes? The Chicago Police Department has not yet provided an official explanation for the presence of the vehicles, and the ongoing investigation is likely to take time to unravel the full story. For now, the Chaos Diversā findings have added a new layer of mystery to an already perplexing case.
Implications and Unanswered Questions
The discovery of nearly 100 submerged cars in the Chicago River has far-reaching implications, not only for the Andrews case but also for the cityās history and safety protocols. The sheer volume of vehicles suggests a range of possibilities, from unreported accidents to potential criminal activity. The Chicago River, a vital artery running through the heart of the city, has long been a hub of activity, but its depths have evidently concealed secrets for decades. The lack of prior detection of these vehicles raises questions about the oversight of the river and the effectiveness of past searches.
For the Andrews family and those following the case, the discovery is both a source of hope and frustration. While the Chaos Diversā efforts have brought renewed attention to the coupleās disappearance, the absence of their Oldsmobile among the recovered vehicles means that closure remains elusive. The theory that Edward and Stephania accidentally drove into the river remains plausible, given the reported details of their departure from the Sheraton Hotel.
However, the failure to locate their car after such an extensive search suggests that their fate may lie elsewhere or that their vehicle is in a part of the river yet to be explored. The broader implications of the discovery extend to other cold cases and missing persons investigations. The Chaos Diversā work has highlighted the potential for advanced technology, such as sonar, to uncover evidence that has long been hidden.
Their efforts may inspire similar searches in other bodies of water across the country, potentially bringing answers to other families seeking closure. Additionally, the presence of so many vehicles in the Chicago River raises questions about historical practices, such as whether cars were dumped as part of insurance fraud, criminal cover-ups, or other illicit activities. Authorities will likely need to cross-reference the recovered vehicles with missing vehicle reports and unsolved cases to determine their origins.
The Chicago Police Department and the Chaos Divers are continuing their collaboration, with plans to further investigate the submerged vehicles and expand the search to other areas. The teamās dedication to solving cold cases, combined with their unexpected findings, has shed new light on the challenges of investigating decades-old mysteries. As the process of clearing the vehicles continues, there is hope that one of them might hold a clue to the Andrewsā disappearance or provide answers to other unresolved cases.
The discovery of nearly 100 cars in the Chicago River is a testament to the persistence of those seeking truth and the complexities of uncovering the past. For Edward and Stephania Andrews, the search for answers continues, but the Chaos Diversā work has brought their story back into the spotlight.
As the investigation unfolds, the city of Chicago and the nation wait to see whether the river will finally reveal its secrets or if the mystery of the Andrewsā disappearance will remain unsolved. The unexpected findings in the Chicago River serve as a reminder that even in a bustling urban environment, hidden truths can lie just beneath the surface, waiting to be uncovered.