A 44-year-old mystery surrounding the disappearance of a wealthy New York couple may soon be resolved after a submerged car containing human remains was discovered in a Georgia pond.
Authorities announced that the vehicle matched the description of the 1978 Lincoln Continental belonging to Charles and Catherine Romer, who vanished in April 1980.
The Glynn County Police Department revealed the discovery of a human bone in the car, which was found near the Royal Inn Hotel, formerly the Brunswick Holiday Inn, where the Romers had last checked in. Police believe the pond, located off Interstate 95, may have concealed the couple’s car for decades.
The Florida-based Sunshine State Sonar Team located the vehicle using advanced sonar technology on 22 November. Mike Sullivan, the group’s founder, confirmed finding personal belongings inside the car with the Romers’ names on them.
While official confirmation is pending through a vehicle identification number (VIN), Sullivan stated, “It’s safe to say that we know it’s them.”
The couple, retired oil executive Charles, 73, and Catherine, 75, had been travelling back to their Scarsdale, New York home after a Miami Beach vacation. The case had long raised suspicions of foul play due to Catherine wearing $81,000 worth of jewellery at the time.
Clues and family reflections
Christine Seaman Heller, Catherine Romer’s granddaughter, expressed relief at the potential breakthrough, reported ABC7. “It would be so wonderful to find out, just have some peace”, she said.
The discovery has sparked new hope among the couple’s nine grandchildren, who have endured decades of uncertainty.
Initial investigations speculated foul play, but new findings suggest the couple may have accidentally reversed their car into the pond from a nearby diner parking lot.
According to crime expert Ken Jefferson, the condition of the vehicle complicates recovery efforts, though draining the pond may reveal more clues.
Decades of mystery
The Romers’ disappearance sparked one of Georgia’s largest search operations in 1980, but the couple and their car remained elusive. Family members, including Seaman Heller’s late father, made repeated trips to the area, seeking closure.
While the Glynn County Police Department and Georgia Bureau of Investigation continue their work, officials have yet to conclude the case. Authorities, along with Sullivan’s sonar team, aim to retrieve additional remains and uncover more evidence from the site.
As investigations progress, the discovery brings the Romer family one step closer to answers in a case that has puzzled and haunted them for decades.