Adventures with Purpose, the Oregon-based search team that found the remains of Kiely Rodni on August 21, 2022, has released footage of the moment they uncovered her body in a car at the bottom of Prosser Lake in California.
In the footage, a diver can be seen inspecting Kiely Rodni's submerged Honda CR-V. He can be heard stating that Rodni's body is in the back of the car, rather than the driver's seat, thereby making him suspect foul play.
The inspection is followed by footage of the car being hauled out of the lake by authorities. Autopsies later confirmed that the remains belonged to Kiely Rodni.
Disclaimer: The following video may be disturbing for some audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.
Kiley Rodni was reported missing after she was last seen a little past midnight at a party in Truckee National Park on August 6, 2022. Later that month, on August 21, a dive team discovered Rodni's remains inside a sunken car found 14 feet under Prosser Lake.
A deep dive into the footage of Kiely Rodni's remains being discovered
The New York Post reported that the dive team at Adventures with Purpose has been commended for their role in discovering the body of Kiely Rodni.
The organisation's search effort followed a prior attempt by local California authorities, who had previously combed the lake for 45 minutes, but to no avail. Fox reported that the independent diving team, which is based in Oregon, has access to advanced sonar technology that the authorities do not possess.
In the video released by the team, diver Nick Rinn can be seen swimming around the vehicle before reporting to his team that there is a body:
“I see a pair of shoes in the back … I have just confirmed there are human remains in the vehicle. The passenger window is broken out, it appears. Rear driver side window is half way down.”
Rinn noted the positioning of the body. This was crucial because Kiely Rodni was the driver and owner of the car. The fact that her body was in the back seat made him suspect foul play.
He said:
“She’s in the back of the vehicle. She’s not in the driver’s seat. It looks suspicious to me. Vehicle is upside down. One window is halfway down. One window is all the way down. Call the authorities.”
Doug Bishop, one of the founders of Adventures with Purpose, responded to Rinn's speculation that the body may belong to Rodni.
He said:
"If this is her, this means all hope is lost in terms of her still being out there and her showing up and being found safe."
In an official statement, the Rodni family thanked the volunteers involved in the search effort.
The statement read:
“We have weathered a storm of unfathomable force, and it is purely thanks to the army of warriors, matriarchs, healers and helpers holding us up that we continue to stand today."
While the independent team suspects foul play, authorities are yet to confirm this. The case remains under investigation.