Poppy Bilderbeck
A couple who went missing over 40 years ago have finally been found, according to their family.
Charles and Catherine Romer from Scarsdale, New York, went missing in April 1980 and their disappearance has remained a mystery ever since.
However, last month, a breakthrough occurred, helping bring 'closure' for their family.
Catherine's granddaughter, Christine Seaman Heller, told ABC7 that when the pair first went missing, authorities suspected there to be 'foul play' involved.
Advert
She continued: "All the investigations and psychics and everything, the police, they worked so hard, and Blackwater divers have been searching for years."
However, the Romers were never found and no concrete explanation was ever landed on - until now.
On November 22, the remains of a 1979 Lincoln Continental car - containing a human bone too - were discovered by a team of divers in a pond near where the pair had last been spotted.
Crime and safety expert Ken Jefferson noted the state of 'corrosion' the car was in would be 'difficult' to clean.
However, the team managed to analyse the evidence and it's since been confirmed by the Romer family that the remains belonged to either Charles or Catherine and subsequently the cold case has finally been 'solved'.
The investigation team believes rather than being a case of 'foul play,' the disappearances and passing of Charles and Catherine resulted from a tragic accident - with the main theory the pair checked into a hotel on their drive back from holidaying in Miami and then accidentally put their car in reverse, ending up backing into the retention pond.
The former manager of the hotel the pair checked into, Andy Mavermet, said: "I just hope it's gonna bring whatever happens, however it plays out, it brings closure for the family."
The family resolved in a statement: "We are deeply saddened and equally relieved that our grandparents Charles and Catherine Romer's 44-year mystery disappearance has been solved. While this discovery brings closure, it still has been very emotional.
"Sadly, Charles Romer Jr, Jim Romer and Frank Heller are not with us to share this momentous turn of events and to know their parents will finally be laid to rest in peace. We want to express our gratitude to Glynn County Police, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and Sunshine State Sonar for their time dedication and expertise.
"A special appreciation and thanks goes out to Jason Souhrada Myrtle Beach, SC. Jason pinpointed the exact location of the vehicle and shared his findings with all the agencies involved."
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact The Compassionate Friends on (877) 969-0010.