Missing Davie man’s truck, remains found in Sunrise lake after 39 years

Nearly four decades after his disappearance, the remains of Howard Vaughn Gratteau and his missing pickup truck have been recovered from a lake in Sunrise by a volunteer group that specializes in solving cold cases using sonar technology.

According to Sunshine State Sonar, Gratteau, an air conditioning repairman from Davie, was last seen by his wife and stepdaughter on Sept. 1, 1986, when he left his home for a service call but never returned.

His white 1985 Toyota pickup, bearing novelty license plates reading “HOWARD2,” also vanished that day.

On Saturday night, Sunshine State Sonar located Gratteau’s submerged vehicle 42 feet deep in a lake near Southwest 12th Street and Shotgun Road.

The Broward Sheriff’s Office Dive Rescue Team recovered both the truck and human remains from the d