Human remains found inside car belonging to Karen Schepers, missing since 1983: Kane County coroner

ELGIN, Ill. (WLS) -- Skeletal human remains have been found inside a car linked to a decades-old cold case, the Kane County coroner confirmed on Tuesday evening.

Chopper 7 was over the scene as crews removed the 1980 canary yellow Toyota Celica from the Fox River on Tuesday just before 3 p.m. following hours of work.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

Search teams with a nonprofit group called the Chaos Divers found the car, believed to have been submerged for 42 years, near the Slade Avenue boat launch on Monday.

"I want to stress that this is an extensive recovery process and it is expected to take some time ensuring the structural integrity of the vehicle remains intact," said Elgin Police Chief Ana Lalley.

Chopper 7 was over the scene as crews removed a car connected to a decades-old cold case from the Fox River on Tuesday.

A license plate match made during Monday's initial search confirmed investigators' suspicions. It belonged to Karen Schepers, an Elgin woman who disappeared more than 40 years ago.

Karen was 23 years old when she was last seen attending a party with coworkers at a bar in Carpentersville in the early hours of April 16, 1983. Neither Karen nor her 1980 Toyota Celica were seen again, until now.

"We were pushing against a brick wall for 42 years, and now, it's starting to give," said Gary Schepers, one of Karen's eight siblings.

Gary spoke with ABC7 over the phone on Tuesday, after crews recovered Karen's car.

"It adds questions more than it answers them," Gary said. "The only search I know of that was done in 1983 was my dad, who was an airline pilot, rented a plane and flew over the area, hoping he could spot her yellow car."

But police said Karen's car was not easily seen from above. Instead, all this time, it was submerged in the Fox River. ABC7's news partners at the Daily Herald shared photos of the teams using sonar technology to locate the now-faded vehicle.

"I wish they looked in the river and found her car 42 years ago," Gary said.

Gary and other family members are now left wanting to know how the car ended up in the river and whether the human remains found inside are Karen's.

Elgin police said the next steps will be to compare Karen's DNA samples or dental records to the remains located in the vehicle. This process could take up to several weeks.

This all comes after the cold case was revived early this year in a podcast launched by the Elgin Police Department called Somebody Knows Something.

Elgin police chief gives an update after a car belonging to a missing woman from 1983 was found in the Fox River.

"We're hoping to use this podcast to help the family understand where Karen is and what happened to her," a speaker in the podcast said.

Karen's family has participated in the podcast, reflecting on her disappearance.

"It changes everything. For many years, when I would see people that would have similar characteristics, I would stop. If I was in a crowded place like an airport or something, and I'd always be looking. Is there anyone that looks like her?" said Susan Trainer, Karen's sister.

"You don't feel like you can go forward until you fix this. So you're still, waiting for something to happen," said Elizabeth Paulson, Karen's 90-year-old mother.

The seven-episode podcast is, according to police, what led them to receive multiple tips that helped to pinpoint her vehicle's location.

Lalley said the podcast has involved the community and allowed people to come forward with any leads.

"Our detectives have received a lot of leads in terms of information coming in," Lalley said. "They are focusing on some theories, potentially what could have happened to her and I think the most important thing to is that we are not going to lock in and we are not going to lock out a theory."

On Tuesday, among those who gathered to watch the vehicle being pulled out was Fernando Sanchez, who recalls the stories told by those in the neighborhood dating back to when he was a young boy.

"Back then we heard, rumor, you know, people knew about, somebody ran into with their car in the river," Sanchez said.

Now, the family of the once-computer programmer still must wait while the Kane County coroner works to identify the remains found inside the car.

"The feeling, today, is not that much different from the feeling the day-before yesterday. I still don't know where she is. I still don't know what happened to her," Gary said.

Police said the car was taken to a secure storage location for further investigation.