Update 2 (1740 hours):
The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office can now release the names of all three deceased individuals inside the Ford Bronco recovered today in Sissonville: Shain Gandee, David Gandee (both previously identified), and Donald Robert Myers (27 years of age), all from the Sissonville area of Kanawha County, WV.
The vehicle and bodies were found by one of Shain Gandee’s friends who was searching the trails and ridges in the area for him and the others. The vehicle sat unevenly, but upright, and was partially submerged in deep mud. Mud was covering the lower part of the passenger side door of the vehicle, but the driver’s side of the vehicle was above the mud. The muffler of the vehicle was completely below the surface of the mud.
The Bronco was found next to a ridge-top trail. That section of the trail itself was passable for four-wheel drive vehicles. However, the Bronco was in a mud pit next to the trail. That area is accessed by following the wooded trails for approximately one mile from Shain Gandee’s residence, near Thaxton Hollow in Sissonville.
Shain was seated in the driver’s seat of the Bronco. The Bronco was removed from the mud pit by a bull-dozer.
Their bodies were removed from the vehicle and have been taken to the Office of the Medical Examiner. Autopsies will be performed to determine the cause of death.
Update 1 (previously released):
Earlier this day after releasing information Shain Gandee was missing, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office received word of a disabled vehicle in a wooded area near Thaxton Hollow, Sissonville, Kanawha County WV. Deputies and members of the Sissonville Volunteer Fire Department used all terrain vehicles to access that vehicle, a 1984 Ford Bronco belonging to the Gandee family. The vehicle was in a muddy area along a worn path. Inside were the bodies of three people.
Shain Lelyn Gandee (21 years old) and David Dwight Gandee (48 years old) were deceased in the vehicle. The third person has not been positively identified. There was no sign of foul play. The causes of death are still under investigation and will likely be determined following an autopsy by the West Virginia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
Prior to locating the vehicle the West Virginia State Police Aviation Unit was prepared to take a helicopter over the area to assist in searching for the vehicle.
Initial Release (previously released):
The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office is currently seeking information on the whereabouts of two missing adult males. David Gandee and Shain Gandee were reported missing overnight. They were last seen at Larry’s Bar in Sissonville, WV, around 3:00 a.m. Sunday, March 31, 2013. The two said they were going four-wheeling in Shain’s Ford Bronco. No one knows where they planned to ride, or the direction in which they left.
Neither is known to have contacted any family members since that time. At this time no foul play is suspected. Family members spent most of Sunday trying to locate or contact the two men before calling 911 to report them missing. At the time of this release they have been missing for approximately 31 hours.
David Gandee is Shain Gandee’s uncle. Both are from the Sissonville area of Kanawha County, but have taken vehicles off-road all over Sissonville, and throughout other parts of the County.
David Gandee is 48 years old, approximately 6’0”, 225 lbs. He is a white male with green eyes and brown hair.
Shain Gandee is 21 years old, approximately 6’0”, 180 lbs. He is a white male with brown eyes and brown hair.
They were last known to be in Shain’s vehicle, a 1984 Ford Bronco with oversized tires. The bronco is red and white in color. The West Virginia license plate number is 3UD308.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of David or Shain Gandee is asked to call 304-357-0169. If you have seen either of them since early Sunday morning, had contact with them, or seen the vehicle since that time, please call the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office.
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Cpl. B. D. Humphreys
Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office
301 Virginia Street East
Charleston WV 25301
304-357-0732 / 304-951-7328