The discovery of a submerged car in a Georgia pond, containing human remains, could be the break investigators have long awaited in the mysterious 1980 disappearance of a New York couple. The remains, found inside a Lincoln Continental, have sparked new hope in solving a case that has baffled authorities for over four decades.
The vehicle, which was found on November 23, 2024, in a pond near Brunswick, Georgia, could be linked to Charles and Catherine Romer, a couple who vanished while returning home from a vacation in Miami. The couple’s mysterious disappearance near the Brunswick Holiday Inn in April 1980 has left investigators and their family searching for answers for more than 40 years.
Uncovering the Mystery: A Shocking Discovery
On Friday, the Glynn County Police Department confirmed that human remains were found inside the vehicle, prompting a new wave of investigation into the case. The car, a 1979 Lincoln Continental, matches the description of the vehicle the Romers were believed to be driving when they disappeared.
Authorities quickly began draining the pond in an effort to recover more remains and gather more evidence. As of now, the identity of the remains has not been officially confirmed. The Glynn County Police Department is working closely with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, which has dispatched forensics experts to determine the identity of the deceased and whether these remains belong to the Romers.
The crucial piece of evidence—the vehicle identification number (VIN)—has not yet been recovered from the submerged car, which complicates the verification process. Police are hopeful that further examination will yield the necessary proof.
The Romers’ Disappearance: A Family’s Agonizing Search
Charles and Catherine Romer were last seen in April 1980 after they checked into the Brunswick Holiday Inn, now known as the Royal Inn. The couple, returning to New York from a vacation in Miami, were last seen leaving the hotel. The next day, housekeepers discovered the couple’s personal items, including their luggage, still in their room.
The mystery deepened when no trace of the couple was found in the days that followed. The car was found just off Interstate 95, close to the area where the couple had been last seen. Despite extensive investigations, and numerous theories—including suspicions of foul play—the case remained unsolved for years. The Romers’ disappearance became one of Georgia’s most enduring cold cases.
Their disappearance had a profound impact on their family, especially their granddaughter, Christine Seaman Heller. “It’s always been such a mystery,” Heller shared. “It would be so wonderful to find out. Just have some peace. Maybe it wasn’t a horrible ending, maybe it was just an accident.”
The Role of Sunshine State Sonar and Camden County Dive Team
The discovery of the car was not a result of traditional investigative work alone. Sunshine State Sonar, a nonprofit group dedicated to locating missing persons, played a pivotal role. Acting on a tip about a submerged vehicle, the team initially discovered a 1970s Ford sedan, but it was the second vehicle they found—a 1979 Lincoln Continental—that caught their attention.
According to John Martin, co-founder of Sunshine State Sonar, the team had to rely on touch, as the pond offered no visibility. “There was zero visibility in the lake, so everything was by feel,” Martin said. Using a part number from a grille they removed, the team was able to identify the car’s make and model.
When they found an open window, Martin dove back in and reached inside. “I felt something hard and long,” he recalled. “I grabbed whatever it was, brought it to the surface of the water, and sure enough, it happened to be a … bone.” This discovery raised the stakes of the investigation, pointing to the possibility that the remains inside the vehicle could indeed belong to the missing couple.
A Break in the Case: Will It Lead to Closure?
The Romers’ family has waited for decades for answers. Catherine Romer’s son spent years traveling to Georgia, desperately searching for clues, and their granddaughter expressed her gratitude for the efforts made by the community to uncover the truth.
“The police, they worked so hard,” Heller said. “They thought it was foul play. It’s always been such a mystery.” The sudden discovery of the car and human remains has rekindled hope for closure. However, there remains much work to be done before the case is resolved.
In addition to identifying the remains, investigators must also determine how the car ended up submerged in the pond. Could it have been an accident, or was it a deliberate act? These questions will shape the course of the investigation in the coming weeks.
Despite the uncertainty, the discovery of the car has given the Romer family a sense of renewed hope, even as they wait for the final answers.
