Remains of Woman Missing for 12 Years Found in Submerged Minivan near Disney World

The body of a woman missing for 12 years, Sandra Lemire, has been discovered in a minivan submerged in a retention pond near Walt Disney World in central Florida. Family members and volunteer divers, part of Sunshine State Sonar, found the vehicle last week, ending a lengthy search for Lemire, who disappeared in 2012 after leaving a restaurant in Kissimmee, Florida.

Lemire's family expressed their belief that the remains found in the vehicle were hers. Volunteer divers located the submerged minivan at the Disney World exit on Interstate 4 in Kissimmee. Sunshine State Sonar had been diligently searching 63 bodies of water for Lemire over the past year and a half.

A video posted by the volunteer group on Facebook captured the moment when diver Mike Sullivan resurfaced in the retention pond, revealing the discovery. "We got her! We got her!" he exclaimed. Sullivan later shared his relief, stating, "Deep in my heart, I always thought this was a foul play case, and it turned out to be just a bad, terrible car accident. I’m just so proud of our team."

Florida's numerous waterways, including retention ponds, rivers, lakes, and canals, often result in cases where individuals go missing, and their remains are found in submerged vehicles years later. Last September, the remains of a man missing for 28 years were discovered in a Florida river. Similarly, in 2015, the remains of a teenage couple missing for 37 years were found in a South Florida canal.

A tip from an Orlando Police Department detective, guiding the divers to the location of a cellphone tower that last received a call from Lemire's phone, helped narrow down the search to the retention pond. The medical examiner's office in Orlando is yet to confirm the identity of the remains, and the Florida Highway Patrol is investigating the cause of the crash. Lemire's son, Timothy Lemire, expressed gratitude to Sunshine State Sonar, emphasizing their crucial role in solving the case.