Four members of an Indian-origin family who went missing during a road trip from Buffalo, New York, to a temple in West Virginia have been found dead following a tragic car crash, authorities confirmed late Saturday night.
Marshall County Sheriff Mike Dougherty identified the victims as Dr. Kishore Divan, Asha Divan, Shailesh Divan, and Gita Divan. Their light green Toyota Camry was discovered around 9:30 p.m. on August 2, off a steep embankment along Big Wheeling Creek Road in Marshall County.
“The four individuals who were reported missing from Buffalo, New York, have been found deceased following a vehicle crash,” the sheriff’s office said in an official statement, as per the media reports.
“The victims have been identified as Dr. Kishore Divan, Asha Divan, Shailesh Divan, and Gita Divan. Their vehicle was located on Saturday, August 2, at approximately 9:30 PM, off a steep embankment along Big Wheeling Creek Road. First responders were on the scene for more than five hours. Sheriff Dougherty extends condolences to the families of the victims. Further information will be released upon the completion of the investigation.”
The Divans were last seen around 2:45 p.m. on Tuesday, July 29, at a Burger King on Peach Street in Erie, Pennsylvania. Surveillance footage showed two members of the group entering the restaurant, marking the last confirmed sighting. Their most recent credit card transaction also occurred at the same location.
A short time later, a Pennsylvania State Trooper’s license plate reader captured the Camry heading south on Interstate 79, with the group en route to Prabhupada’s Palace of Gold, a spiritual retreat located in Moundsville, West Virginia. Authorities noted that the family never checked in at their pre-booked accommodation.
Despite a multi-agency search effort that included analysis of cellphone tower data, placing their devices as last active around 3:00 a.m. on Wednesday in the areas of Moundsville and Wheeling, no contact was made with the group in the days that followed.
Earlier this week, the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office released surveillance images and vehicle details in hopes of generating public leads. A missing persons report had also been filed in Buffalo.
The exact cause of the crash has not yet been determined, and the investigation remains ongoing.
“We know this is not the outcome anyone had hoped for,” Sheriff Dougherty said. “We are grateful for the public’s assistance during the search and will continue to work with partner agencies to determine what happened.”
