Trip ends in tragedy: Missing Indian-origin elderly family found dead after road trip to West Virginia

Indian-origin family vanishes on US road trip

Four Indian-origin family members from New York, who had gone missing while traveling to a spiritual site in West Virginia, were found dead on Saturday, according to Marshal County Sheriff Mike Dougherty.

The bodies and their vehicle were discovered around 9:30 p.m. (local time) Saturday at the bottom of a steep embankment along Big Wheeling Creek Road, the sheriff said.

"First responders were on the scene for more than five hours. Sheriff Dougherty extends condolences to the families of the victims. Further information will be released upon the completion of the investigation," he stated.

The family, all in their 80s, disappeared earlier this week, prompting a search operation, according to local reports on Saturday.

According to the missing persons report, four Indian-origin seniors - Asha Divan (85), Dr. Kishore Divan (89), Shailesh Divan (86), and Gita Divan (84) they were last spotted six days ago at a Burger King on Peach Street in Erie, Pennsylvania.

A missing poster circulating online states they were traveling from Buffalo to Pittsburgh and West Virginia in a light green Toyota Camry (license plate EKW-2611) and have not been seen since July 29, 2025.

"The Divans have not been seen since Tuesday, July 29th, at approximately 2:45 PM, when they were detected on a Pennsylvania State Trooper's License Plate Reader while traveling south on I-79. They were en route from Buffalo, NY, to the Palace of Gold on McCreary's Ridge Road in Marshall County," the Marshall County Sheriff's department wrote in a post on Facebook, urging citizens to assist in the search.

According to a surveillance from a Burger King in Erie, Pennsylvania, the family of four was last spotted at the fast food joint. Additionally, their last known credit card transaction also tracks back to the same location. Video details, as shared by local news outlet WTRF.com, suggest that two people of the lot were captured on camera while entering the restaurant building.