Cold case solved: remains of missing Westchester couple found after 44 years in Georgia pond. VIDEO

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The decades-long mystery surrounding the disappearance of Charles and Catherine Romer, a Westchester County couple missing for over 40 years, has finally been solved. Their remains were discovered in a pond near I-95 in southern Georgia, along with their 1979 Lincoln Continental, ABC News 7 reports.

The Romer family issued a heartfelt statement:

“We are deeply saddened and equally relieved that our grandparents’ 44-year mystery disappearance has been solved. While this discovery brings closure, it has been an emotional journey. Sadly, Charles Romer Jr., Jim Romer, and Frank Heller are no longer with us to witness this moment and to know their parents will finally be laid to rest in peace. We are grateful to Glynn County Police, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Sunshine State Sonar, and especially Jason Souhrada of Myrtle Beach, SC, who pinpointed the vehicle’s location.”

Charles and Catherine Romer, both in their 70s, vanished in April 1980 while traveling back to New York from a vacation in Miami. The mystery haunted investigators and the family for decades.

The discovery came last Friday when divers located the heavily corroded remains of the Romers' vehicle in a retention pond near the Brunswick Holiday Inn, where the couple had checked in before their disappearance. The pond, incredibly close to the motel, had been overlooked despite one of the most extensive searches in Georgia’s history.

Inside the vehicle, investigators found a human bone. Authorities drained the pond and recovered additional remains, working meticulously to navigate the rust and bacteria that had accumulated over decades.

For the Romers’ nine grandchildren, all sisters, the revelation offered bittersweet relief.

“All these years, we thought something horrible had happened—that they were victims of a crime,” said Christine Seaman Heller, granddaughter of Catherine Romer. “Maybe it wasn’t a terrible ending. Maybe it was just an accident.”

The evidence suggests that the couple may have accidentally reversed their car into the pond.

The Romers were friends who married after being widowed, sharing a deep bond in their later years. Their disappearance consumed their family, especially Catherine’s son, who made countless trips to Georgia searching for answers.

The discovery brings long-awaited closure to the family, ending a mystery that spanned more than four decades.

“I hope this finally brings peace,” said Andy Mavermat, a former manager of the Holiday Inn where the Romers last stayed.

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