Manner of Death in Kyle Clinkscales Case Deemed Undetermined, Cold Case Stays Unsolved

Troup County Sheriff James Woodruff announced today that the long-standing mystery surrounding the disappearance of Kyle Clinkscales has taken a frustrating turn. After receiving an update from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Crime Lab, it was revealed that the manner of death for Kyle Clinkscales has been listed as “Undetermined.” This news comes as a disappointment, leaving the 47-year-old cold case without resolution.

Kyle Clinkscales, a 22-year-old student at Auburn University, vanished on the night of January 27, 1976, after leaving LaGrange, Georgia, to return to campus. Neither he nor his white 1974 Pinto Runabout were ever located, leaving his fate shrouded in mystery for decades.

However, a glimmer of hope emerged in 2021 when Clinkscales’ skeletal remains were discovered inside his 1974 Ford Pinto in Chambers County, Alabama. His belongings were found in the vehicle as well, providing a significant breakthrough in the case.

The discovery occurred on the morning of December 7, 2021, when deputies from the Chambers County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call reporting a submerged car off County Road 38.

Despite this breakthrough, the recent autopsy results have dashed hopes of definitive closure. With the cause of death listed as “Undetermined,” the case is now considered closed unless new information surfaces.

“I want to once again thank my team of Investigators, the Georgia Bureau of Investigations and the Chambers County Sheriff’s Office for their hard work to finally close this case after more than four decades”. Sheriff James Woodruff