FT LAUDERDALE, FL – A Florida-based sonar search and recovery group, Sunshine State Sonar, recently made a chilling discovery. The group, which assists law enforcement in uncovering evidence, missing persons, and vehicles, found a submerged vehicle with several bodies inside.
Using sound wave technology to generate images underwater, the group managed to retrieve a 1983 Oldsmobile from a retention pond near Sawgrass Mills Mall. The discovery was made around 11 a.m. on January 6, in collaboration with Adventures With Purpose, another diving group.
The Oldsmobile was found at the entrance of the mall parking lot, submerged in 24 feet of water. The search was part of an operation to locate Libby Dibenedetton, a woman who disappeared in 2000 in Sunrise, Florida. The ongoing investigation has yet to reveal the number of bodies found in the vehicle.
The local police department and Sunshine State Sonar have expressed their condolences to the victims’ families. The Sunrise police department confirmed their involvement in the vehicle’s retrieval from the pond. The car, last registered in 2005, contained bodies whose identities are currently being investigated.
Sunshine State Sonar’s recent operations have also led to the recovery of other missing persons. On New Year’s Eve, the body of Sandra Lemire, an Orlando mother missing for nearly 12 years, was found in her submerged vehicle near Disney World, Florida. New leads from the police prompted the group to search new locations, leading to the discovery.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating the cause of the crash, and the medical examiner’s office in Orlando is working to confirm the remains. Timothy Lemire, Sandra’s son, praised Sunshine State Sonar for their invaluable contribution to the case.