I could swear in TX the engine was to be disabled via mangling or somesuch rendering the vehicle inoperable.
It was, at least it was for two of my kids that bought vehicles during the Clunkers porgram. Some kind of agent was poured into the fuel tank that permanently incapacitated the engine.
I think Brad is onto something with respect to the vehicle being obtained illegally, and why the salvage yard in CT might not be cooperative. It's possible that they should have had the vehicle, and/or that they resold it, illegally.