ORLANDO, FL – The long search for a missing Brevard County woman has finally come to a poignant conclusion, providing a measure of closure for her family after more than a decade. A group of Orlando-based volunteers recently discovered the remains of the woman, submerged in a vehicle at the bottom of a retention pond, just over a mile from her home.
The search ended when divers from Sunshine State Sonar, led by founder Mike Sullivan, located the woman’s 2003 Honda Odyssey. The vehicle was buried beneath 24 feet of water, a silent witness to her mysterious disappearance in 2014. Sullivan and his team worked tirelessly to bring the vehicle and its contents to the surface, finally answering questions that had haunted the woman’s family for years.
The woman, a respected professor and mother of three, vanished after leaving a local store, setting off a massive search that spanned years and involved numerous investigative teams. Despite their efforts, the search often hit dead ends, complicated by the presence of over 500 bodies of water in the vicinity of her home.
The breakthrough came when a follower of Sunshine State Sonar alerted the team to the woman’s case earlier this year. With the assistance of detectives who provided the last known location of her cell phone, the team was able to narrow down the search area significantly. Even so, it took more than 50 hours of painstaking work to locate the vehicle.
Sullivan expressed surprise at how quickly the search concluded, given the daunting number of potential locations. Before finding the submerged vehicle, the team had already explored 33 other bodies of water. The discovery marked a bittersweet victory for the searchers, who were able to provide the family with answers, even if the cause of death might remain unresolved due to the condition of the remains.
Local deputies confirmed the identity of the woman, though they acknowledged that determining the exact circumstances of her death might be impossible. Despite this, the recovery of her remains offers a sense of resolution to her grieving family, who have waited years for this moment.
“We are so grateful to have been able to do this for her family,” Sullivan said, acknowledging that while it may not bring complete closure, it does bring some peace. The discovery underscores the dedication and perseverance of those involved in the search, shedding light on the power of community efforts in solving cold cases.
As the investigation continues, the community remains hopeful that more answers can be uncovered, bringing further relief to the woman’s family and friends.