Skeletal remains were found inside 1980 brown Ford Bronco that belonged to a Rainbow City man missing since 1983, Gadsden police announced today.

Alan Douglas Livingston was 25 when he vanished in April of that year.

In January of this year, Chris Overstreet, a scuba diver and EMT from Virginia, who travels around looking into missing person’s cases, found the Bronco as he searched the Coosa River using sonar.

Overstreet discovered the vehicle in approximately 18 feet of water, 30 feet from the shoreline behind Summer Waters Apartments.

Overstreet dove and found the vehicle, resting to the hood in silt, and called Gadsden police.

Gadsden police and the Etowah County Dive Team launched an investigation.

Livingston was last seen at Forest River Apartments, now Summer Waters, and was reported missing by a co-worker who had not seen him for several days.

The Ohio native had worked at the Gadsden Goodyear plant, The Birmingham Post-Herald reported in 1983.

Two months after Livingston was reported missing, William Roth Jr., who is now 61, was arrested in Arkansas for a murder that occurred in Clarksville, Texas.

The Post-Herald described Roth as a “drifter.”

“During an interview with Texas/Arkansas authorities, Roth admitted to hitting Livingston in the head with a board after an argument. He said the crime occurred in Gadsden, where he was staying at the time,” a police statement read.

“After Roth’s statement to authorities, Gadsden, Rainbow City and ABI investigators went to Texas to interview Roth.”

Roth repeatedly told investigators that he hit Livingston with a board in the area now known as the Bird Sanctuary between South 6th St. and South 11th St. in Gadsden.

“He was inconsistent, however, about what he did with the body and Livingston’s Bronco afterwards. Authorities searched in several different locations but came up short,” the police statement continued.

Because the vehicle had disintegrated to the point it might fall apart and was encased in mud and silt up to the windshield, Gadsden detectives and Gadsden police Certified Public Safety Diver Lt. Jon Alred, consulted with Police Chief Lamar Jaggears, who asked for the FBI’s assistance.

The FBI sent divers from Virginia, Los Angeles and Miami to conduct the search.

Between October 25-26, the FBI Dive Team used a dredge to remove silt and other objects from inside the Bronco that was still submerged in the Coosa River.

“The silt was sifted and what was left was analyzed by the FBI Evidence Response Team. At the conclusion of the search skeletal remains and identification belonging to Alan Livingston were located. The remains are being sent off to forensics for further analysis,” the police statement read.

Roth Jr. is serving a life sentence in Texas, and is currently in the care of a nursing facility due to his deteriorated health.