CLEVELAND — Two days after a pair of vehicles were pulled out of the Cuyahoga River as part of a "training exercise," the Cleveland Division of Police tells 3News that the cars do not appear to be connected with the Keshaun Williams missing person case.
In an email, Sgt. Wilfredo Diaz told 3News that investigators discovered that both cars were stolen, with one "later used in a shooting into habitation."
"We do not believe they are connected to Keshaun at this time," he added.
Several area agencies were on scene near the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland Tuesday for a recovery operation that one local official told 3News was connected to missing teenager Keshaun Williams.
Newburgh Heights Chief of Police John Majoy told 3News that the search and recovery operation in Cleveland's Tremont neighborhood was in connection to Keshaun, who has been missing since June 17, 2023. Majoy is also chair of the Northeast Ohio Amber Alert Committee and board president for the nonprofit Cleveland Missing.
However, the Cleveland Division of Police later called the recovery a "training exercise" that was planned weeks in advance and would not confirm that the recovered vehicles were related to Keshuan's case.
"It's important to note that while these vehicles could potentially be connected to Keshaun's case, they could also relate to another crime or may not be linked to any violent crime at all. Speculating about a connection at this stage would be premature," Diaz wrote on Tuesday.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources, SERT Dive Team, Westshore Dive Team, and Rich's Towing were all part of the training exercise, according to police. The two recovered vehicles were taken to the CDP's impound lot for further investigation
Keshaun, who was 15 years old at the time of his disappearance, became the focus of an Ohio Amber Alert with reward money offered in the case.
On Oct. 8, reward money in the case increased to $27,500. That money will be given to anybody with information that can help police resolve the case.
Keshaun was described as 5'7" tall and weighing 130 pounds with brown eyes at the time he was reported missing. He was last seen wearing black jogging pants and a t-shirt.
Anybody with information has been asked to call 866-4-WANTED.
3News' Anna Meyer contributed to this story
