The latest discovery of a submerged automotive in a Georgia pond may very well be linked to a rich Scarsdale, NY couple who went lacking greater than 40 years in the past and sparked one of many largest searches within the state’s historical past.
Charles and Catharine Romer, “snowbirds” who lived within the ritzy Westchester County enclave for a lot of the yr, vanished in April 1980 throughout their trek again north after spending the winter in Florida – a yearly custom since they married within the mid-Seventies, in keeping with previous experiences.
The couple had dropped their gadgets off at a resort and went for a drive, however they by no means returned or have been seen or heard from once more.
Glynn County police revealed that divers on Friday discovered a automotive that matches the 1979 Lincoln Continental utilized by the retired oil govt, 74, and his second spouse, 76, in a pond between an interstate and the resort the pair checked into shortly earlier than disappearing on April 8, 1980.
“At this time there is no conclusion about the identity of the remains that were found,” police stated, in keeping with the Brunswick Information.
“The pond is being drained and special equipment is being utilized to allow for a thorough investigation by GCPD and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.”
Charles Romer referred to as one in every of his sons to let him know what the couple’s journey plans have been two days earlier than he and his spouse went lacking.
When the couple reached the Vacation Inn, they registered and unpacked some stuff earlier than leaving the venue.
Glasses and a bottle of scotch have been found of their room, in addition to their tax returns. A employee reported that three days after they checked in, the room hadn’t been occupied with the mattress nonetheless untouched, in keeping with a New York Instances report on the time.
The couple’s disappearance sparked one of many largest searches ever in southern Georgia and included assist from the FBI, the Related Press reported again then.
Catharine Romer, who was reportedly sporting jewellery between $60,000 and $80,000 on the time of the disappearance, was price about $1 million, in keeping with the AP.
Charles Romer, who was beforehand an govt at Sinclair Oil, was declared useless in 1985 by a Westchester surrogate, forsaking $1.2 million in inheritance, in keeping with the Instances.
”We simply don’t have any leads proper now in any respect,” one in every of his sons Charles Romer Jr. advised the newspaper of his dad and stepmom’s mysterious disappearance.
”I’ll by no means surrender on it,” stated Romer, who on the time nonetheless checked in with police yearly.
”I’ll all the time attempt to discover out what occurred.”
