Human Remains Found in Georgia Pond Possibly Linked to Couple’s 1980 Disappearance

Charles Romer, a retired oil company executive, and his wife Catherine were last heard from on April 6, 1980

Authorities in Georgia announced that human remains found inside a submerged vehicle in a pond may be connected to a case surrounding a couple who went missing over 40 years ago.

Glynn County Police said in a news release that the remains were discovered on Friday, Nov. 23, in a pond between the Royal Inn Hotel and Interstate 95 on New Jesup Highway.

The police said that a group from Florida called Sunshine State Sonar found a Lincoln Continental, a vehicle that was similar in description to the one that Charles and Catherine Romer may have been driving when they were reported missing in April 1980.

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“Investigators — with the assistance of the Camden County Dive Team — found one human bone in the vehicle and the pond is being drained to see if there are additional remains,” said the police in its news release.

Glynn County Police added there is no conclusion on the identity of the discovered remains at the time being.

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The investigation is ongoing, concluded the police’s statement. Those with information about the case should contact Glynn County Police.

In an Oct. 9, 1985 story published in The New York Times, Charles Romer, 74, a retired oil company executive from Scarsdale, New York, and his wife Catherine, 76, were last heard from on April 6, 1980. At the time, the couple was leaving Miami Beach and heading to Scarsdale.

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The newspaper reported that on April 8, 1980, the couple stopped at a Holiday Inn in Brunswick, Georgia. They unpacked their belongings in their hotel room and then disappeared. Among the items found in the room were tax returns and glasses and a bottle of Scotch; a bed was reportedly turned.

The couple’s car was never located, according to the Times, adding that Catherine Romer had jewelry valued between $60,000 and $80,000.

Five years after the couple’s disappearance, a Westchester County surrogate declared Charles Romer dead, the newspaper reported. According to Romer’s two sons, their father left behind an estate worth $1.2 million.

PEOPLE contacted the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, who is investigating the case along with Glynn County Police, on Monday, Nov. 25 for additional information.

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In a Nov. 23 Facebook post, Sunshine State Sonar, which describes itself as a sonar search and recovery unit, also shared the news about last week’s discovery of human remains in the Georgia pond. The unit said the operation involved them and various law enforcement agencies.

“At this time, we will not be disclosing the identities of the victims or any specific details,” read Sunshine State Sonar’s post. “The investigation is ongoing and active. We extend our deepest sympathies to the victims' family during this difficult time.”

Andy Mavromat, who formerly managed the Holiday Inn — now known as the Royal Inn — four years after the Romers’ disappearance, told NBC affiliate WTLV: “I just hope, whatever happens, however it plays out, it brings closure for the family.”