PA PA - William Alfred Higgins, 35, Allegheny Cty, Mar-April 1969

[Diane Redfern]

More questions: Do they think the fire that burned the house and the fire that burned the military records building were provoked? If so, do they suspect of the same person (Dolores' 2nd husband)?

More info can be found here: William Higgins

 

[Coffee56]

Bump.....@Coffee56 are you still in contact with Bill's son?

I am not but I still do have the messages.

 

[theshadow45]

Bill has been missing for 52 years today.

 

[branmuffin]

I am not but I still do have the messages.

Is there any reason why the brother is no longer in contact?

 

[Find Brenda]

Bill has been missing for 52 years today.

Such a sad case

 

[TSL7584]

53 years

 

[CCJD]

Looks like Adventures With Purpose was in McKeesport today searching the Yough River for Bill. They found a vehicle but not Bill's.

"We were in town searching for Bill Higgins. Cold case from 50 years ago, last seen in '55 Chevy blue truck ... It was a long shot because it's such an old case. ... We were hoping to find him today and we ended up finding this Chevy Equinox," Adam Brown said.

The men said when they found the vehicle, the windows were down and the keys were in the ignition.

Car pulled from the Youghiogheny River

This story is developing.

www.cbsnews.com

 

[CCJD]

Correction - it wasn't Adventures with Purpose searching the Yough, but Adam Brown Adventures. First I'd heard of him.

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[imstilla.grandma]

Jeremy Sides and Adam Brown travel the country searching for closure in cold cases, and dive for lost property or to simply remove junk and hazards from the waterways. Sides’ YouTube channel is “Exploring with Nug,” and Brown’s channel is “Adventures of Adam Brown.”

“We were in town today searching for an old cold case, William Higgins,” Brown said.

Sides and Brown said Higgins went missing in the McKeesport area around 50 years ago.

“We were out here searching the waterways, using sonar technology, trying to find the vehicle, specifically his truck, and it was a longshot because it’s such an old case,” Brown said.

Their find wasn't the '50s model truck they were hoping for.

Divers in search of cold case closure find unrelated car in Youghiogheny River

Two divers who search for answers in cold cases led first responders to recover a car from the Youghiogheny River in McKeesport on Wednesday.

www.wtae.com

 

[Spins]

I've seen that exact, bright blue old model pickup truck. I used to stare at it all the time, cause it was so pretty. Good chance cleaned up by now. As this would have been thru out the 1990s, 1993 on, I would walk over the Wind gap Bridge, heading down to Mckees rocks flea market. That exact old type bright blue pickup truck, was abandoned in like a junkyard, under the Windgap bridge, going towards Mckees rocks. 1993 ongoing.

 

[Valiant]

I've seen that exact, bright blue old model pickup truck. I used to stare at it all the time, cause it was so pretty. Good chance cleaned up by now. As this would have been thru out the 1990s, 1993 on, I would walk over the Wind gap Bridge, heading down to Mckees rocks flea market. That exact old type bright blue pickup truck, was abandoned in like a junkyard, under the Windgap bridge, going towards Mckees rocks. 1993 ongoing.

If he disappeared in 1969, by 1993 the truck wouldn't have been bright blue any longer unless it had spent a good many years store inside somewhere. Bright colors fade fast on old cars if they aren't kept waxed.
It's possible someone hid it away for years though then junked it. However, if the VIN was recorded, it should have popped upas junkyards are supposed to record VINs they take in.

 

[Nate_Bro]

A few years later a man using the surname 'higgins' was killed in Canada. He also wore size 10 boots, and he had a thick insole, possibly for flat feet. Just a thought.

Canada's Missing | Case details

www.services.rcmp-grc.gc.ca

 

[theshadow45]

Bumping, today is Bill’s birthday. He has been missing for 54 years this year.

 

[theshadow45]

William has been missing for 55 years today.

 

[theshadow45]

Today is William’s birthday.

 

[theshadow45]

As of yesterday, William has been missing for 56 years.

 

[Pennysmom1]

5330DMPA - William Alfred Higgins

Identifiers​

Dentals: Not Available
Fingerprints: Not Available
DNA: Available

 

[theshadow45]

Bumping, today is William’s birthday.

 

[PGHJW]

This one is probably lost to time aside from the truck and/or remains being found.

As the wife's story changed I would bet that she was involved but I doubt she could have done it herself. It sounds as if her second husband, the neighbor, is dead but is she? She'd be in her 80s which is definitely possible.

This is another case that definitely goes against the tired "multiple people can't keep a secret" line that has hindered so many of these cases. I don't see a way that this one could've been done without the knowledge of multiple people yet here we are with no answers. People can and will keep a secret if it means ruining their own lives.

Stories like this, minus the disappearance, are more common than thought for back then at least in this area. While life was better than it had been one hundred years prior, it wasn't easy. The type of work took it's toll. Not every family was broken but I know the children of many families from back then in this area who did live in homes like this. Steel workers worked hard and played hard and just didn't have the things that we have today. There was no phone to lose yourself in. You worked, went to the bar and hopefully came home. It was much simpler but a lot rougher. Worse than now? I don't know that I'd say that, either. Definitely a fascinating era that would be absolutely foreign to the kids of today.