Florida authorities believe the skeletal remains found in a submerged car in a Palm Bay pond Thursday are those of a missing resident who vanished 12 years ago.
Someone flying a drone over the Bayside Lakes pond spotted a submerged 2002 Ford Mustang that belonged to 38-year-old Phillipe Desir.
The underwater Recovery Team of Palm Bay Police removed the vehicle and found skeletal remains inside.
The car’s windows were rolled down as it landed upside down. The remains included an intact skull that will be used in dental records’ identification.
Desir’s wife had told police in February 2009 that he “just got up and left the house and that was pretty well the end of it.”
Police said that Desir’s disappearance had no suspicious circumstances and that there were no foul play indications found in this early stage of the investigation.
