Renewed Search for Missing Woman Jane Bousley Reveals Submerged Vehicle, Not Linked to Case

WINCHESTER, Ky. — A renewed search for 70-year-old Jane Bousley, who went missing in the early 2000s, took place on the Kentucky River after a new lead identified a potential vehicle connected to her disappearance.

Bousley was last seen in 2001 after leaving a hair salon in Winchester, driving her 1997 Mercury Tracer. For over two decades, her case remained unsolved. Recent developments prompted the nonprofit organization Diving for Hope to conduct a search in the area where it is believed she may have veered off the roadway.

Chad Furrow, a rescue diver with Diving for Hope, stated, “Today, we’re looking for a female that went missing in the early 2000s.” This search marks the third attempt to locate Bousley in the past year. In February, sonar technology led to the discovery of a submerged vehicle within 20 minutes of searching, although it could not be positively identified at that time.

On the latest search, which occurred nine months later, the team aimed to identify the vehicle found previously and determine if it was Bousley’s or another vehicle that might be missing. “Once we located the car again it was time to go under,” Furrow explained. While searching underwater, visibility was limited to approximately two to three feet, complicating the identification process.

After successfully locating the vehicle, officials were called in to begin towing it to the surface. According to Furrow, the vehicle had been submerged for over 20 years, resulting in significant deterioration. “As soon as they put tension on the wire it just popped it and that’s all that was left,” Barrineau noted about the vehicle’s retrieval.

Upon getting the vehicle ashore, it was determined to be a 1970s model Ford vehicle, not the Mercury Tracer associated with Bousley. Despite the disappointment, Barrineau emphasized the commitment to continue searching for Jane Bousley: “We’re definitely not going to stop. I mean, there’s miles and miles of river still to search.”

The Clark County Sheriff’s Office is now tasked with investigating the identity of the retrieved vehicle. The search for Bousley remains ongoing as the community and volunteers rally to bring closure to her case.