OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – Unidentified remains found inside of a vehicle submerged Sunday in a body of water near Osceola County are related to an Orlando missing persons case, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
WKMG in Orlando reported that troopers closed the westbound Interstate 4 exit ramp to World Drive as investigators examined a vehicle that had been submerged in a nearby retention pond — a 2004 Ford Freestar van. Orlando police confirmed Tuesday the vehicle is tied to the missing person case of Sandra Lemire.
Law enforcement officers have not confirmed the identity of the remains, but Lemire’s family says the remains belong to their loved one who disappeared 12 years ago. The Orlando Police Department said it is waiting on positive identification of the remains.
Lemire’s family said last week that Orlando police shared a new lead with them: the location of the last tower her cellphone pinged off.
A sonar crew, Sunshine State Sonar, searched the new area and found the vehicle in 15 feet of water using technology that wasn’t available in 2012.
“Back then, law enforcement would send divers in the water with zero visibility -- just swimming around and hoping to bump into a vehicle,” said Mike Sullivan, with Sunshine State Sonar.
“Once he sent me a picture of that license plate (on the vehicle), it really hit home. That kind of finalized everything for me,” said Lemire’s son, Tim Lemire Jr.
Lemire was last seen at a Kissimmee McDonald’s with a man she had met online. At the time of her disappearance, police say the man told them that he and Lemire went their separate ways. He was not a person of interest in the case.
Note: This map depicts the general area of the scene and not necessarily its exact location.