Recovery Efforts and Continued Investigation of Ethan Kazmerzak

Area law enforcement is working to recover a vehicle possibly belonging to a Hampton man who has been missing for seven years.

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office in a release stated that on Monday, an independent dive team, Adventures with Purpose, located what is believed to be Ethan Kazmerzak’s 2006 Volkswagen submerged in water northwest of Hampton.

Kazmerzak was last seen leaving a party in the early hours of Sept. 15, 2013. No clues to Kazmerzak’s whereabouts had been available since his disappearance. The car was found near one of the last locations he was seen.

Franklin County Sheriff Aaron Dodd said that while crews are working to remove the vehicle from the water and an investigation will ensue, the possibility it belongs to Kazmerzak is one of hope.

“ The finding of the car is a great relief to the family and the community,” Dodd said.

The body of water in which the car was found had previously been searched twice for evidence of Kazmerzak and his vehicle.

While the removal of the vehicle and the investigation continue, respect towards the Kazmerzak family and agencies involved in the investigation are requested.

Please continue to check with the Hampton Chronicle as more details become available.

Previous Press Release from earlier Tuesday, Oct. 27

On 10/26/2020 a dive team located what is believed to be Ethan Kazmerzak’s 2006 Volkswagen. The car was found submerged in water northwest of Hampton, Iowa. This location is near one of the last locations Kazmerzak was seen on 9/15/2013.

This is a body of water that has been searched two times prior, looking for evidence of Kazmerzak and his vehicle. Efforts are underway to make a recovery of the vehicle today.

We request that proper space, respect and consideration be shown to the Kazmerzak family and agencies involved in this continued investigation.

Information will follow as this investigation continues.

Aaron Dodd, Sheriff

Franklin County, Iowa