A decade-long mystery in Camden, New Jersey, may have reached a grim resolution last week when it was discovered that a mud-covered car pulled from the Cooper River likely contained the remains of Bernadine Waters Gunner, a mother who disappeared in 2010. Gunner, then 52 years old, was last seen alive by her family after she expressed despair at her inability to find a job and told them of her intentions to end her life.
For 14 years, the whereabouts of The gunner remains unknown., and his case was frozen, leaving his family without answers. That changed dramatically when United Search Corps, a nonprofit search organization, dredged several vehicles from the river, including what is believed to be Gunner’s 2006 Hyundai Elantra.
Julia Young, Gunner’s daughter, expressed her mixed emotions in a Facebook post: “Thanks to Doug (United Search Corps) we have closed and now our family can give my mother a proper burial,” he wrote. Young also criticized the efforts of local law enforcement over the years: “As you know, the Camden County Police didn’t do a great job with my mother’s case, it took a one-man gang to come here.” , submerged in that water and discovered my mother. We can’t thank her enough for what she has done. “Almost 14 years without answers and now we have them.”
The recovery operation, led by Doug Bishop of United Search Corps, used sonar equipment to locate the submerged vehicles. Bishop expressed confidence that the remains found were indeed Gunner’s, citing the match of the vehicle’s license plate with Gunner’s and the discovery of his belongings inside. “We are sure it is her. Definitely,” Bishop said. New Jersey Advanced Media.
The discovery brought about a complex mix of pain and relief for Gunner’s family. Bishop described his reaction: “They were humble, grateful people, real salt of the earth. “You could see in their eyes that what they had carried for 14 years they were no longer carrying.”
While the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office and the Pennsauken Police Department have launched an investigation following the recovery of three vehicles from the river, the remains found in Gunner’s car still require DNA testing to officially confirm his identity.
This moving event marks a possible end to a long period of uncertainty for Gunner’s family, offering them the opportunity to finally grieve and commemorate his life, as they prepare to give him a long-delayed proper burial.