For decades, the mystery of Charles and Catherine Romer's disappearance haunted their family—until a rusting car at the bottom of a Georgia pond may finally hold the answers.
Investigators believe they've found a crucial clue in solving the 44-year-old case of Charles and Catherine Romer, a New York couple who vanished in April 1980, according to ABC7.
On Friday, divers discovered a heavily deteriorated 1979 Lincoln Continental submerged in a retention pond off I-95 in south Georgia. Inside the vehicle, a human bone was recovered, prompting detectives to plan further searches of the pond with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
The Romers were last seen in Brunswick, Georgia, ABC7 reported, while returning to New York from a vacation in Miami. The couple, both in their 70s and recently married after being widowed, checked into the Brunswick Holiday Inn (now the Royal Inn) before vanishing.
Despite one of the most extensive searches in state history, their fate remained a mystery for decades. Personal items and luggage were later discovered in their hotel room.
"I just hope it's gonna bring whatever happens, however it plays out, it brings closure for the family," Andy Mavermat, the former Holiday Inn manager said.
Christine Seaman Heller, the Romers' granddaughter, expressed her family's gratitude for the ongoing efforts to solve the case. "All the investigations and psychics and everything, the police, they worked so hard, and Blackwater divers have been searching for years. And they thought it was foul play," she said.
The retention pond, located near the hotel, had been overlooked during initial searches. Some speculate the couple may have accidentally reversed into the water, leading to what appears to be a tragic accident. "The signs right now indicate a tragic accident," a diver involved in the recent discovery noted.
Ken Jefferson, a crime and safety expert, acknowledged the challenges investigators face with the vehicle's condition. "The rust, corrosion, all kinds of bacteria is gonna develop on that car. And in trying to clean that stuff to see if you can find something...it's going to be difficult."
For Catherine Romer's nine grandchildren, the decades of uncertainty about their grandparents' fate have been agonizing. "What's been incredibly difficult was thinking all these years that their beloved grandmother and her husband had been victims of a terrible crime and had suffered," Heller said.
Her late father, Catherine Romer's son, had spent years traveling to Georgia in search of answers. Reflecting on the possibility of a resolution, Seaman Heller added, "It would be so wonderful to find out, just have some peace. You know, maybe it wasn't a horrible ending; maybe it was just an accident."
As of now, Glynn County Police have not confirmed the identity of the remains, but the family remains hopeful for closure after years of uncertainty.
