SUNNY ISLES BEACH, Fla. – A breakthrough may have occurred in a cold case dating back to 1980. A volunteer sonar team discovered a submerged car in Georgia linked to Charles and Catherine Romer, a retired couple who vanished while traveling from South Florida to New York.
Using sonar technology, the Sunshine State Sonar team identified a black Lincoln Continental submerged in a retention pond near a hotel in Brunswick, Georgia. Personal belongings and human remains were found inside the vehicle.
Charles, a former oil executive, and his wife were last heard from on Easter 1980. Recent leads brought the sonar team to the location, where they worked meticulously despite low underwater visibility.
“When I reached in, I felt something long and thought, what’s this?” said John Martin, a team member. After realizing they had discovered human remains, they halted their dive and alerted local authorities.
Investigators drained the pond, recovering high-value jewelry, belt buckles with engraved initials, and other personal effects. The remains are yet to be positively identified, and authorities are piecing together the events leading to the couple’s mysterious disappearance.
The Sunshine State Sonar team, known for resolving cold cases, has now contributed to 13 case breakthroughs. Their work continues to provide closure for families affected by decades-old mysteries.