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| Google Maps shows sunken car where missing man’s body was found | Google Maps shows sunken car where missing man’s body was found |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The remains of a man who went missing two decades ago in Florida have been found in a submerged car visible on Google Maps. | The remains of a man who went missing two decades ago in Florida have been found in a submerged car visible on Google Maps. |
| William Moldt, 40, was reported missing from Lantana, Florida, on 7 November 1997. | William Moldt, 40, was reported missing from Lantana, Florida, on 7 November 1997. |
| He failed to return home from a night out at a club when he was 40 years old. | He failed to return home from a night out at a club when he was 40 years old. |
| A missing person investigation was launched by police but the case went cold. | A missing person investigation was launched by police but the case went cold. |
| On 28 August this year - 22 years on - police were called to reports of a car found in a pond in Moon Bay Circle, Wellington. | On 28 August this year - 22 years on - police were called to reports of a car found in a pond in Moon Bay Circle, Wellington. |
| When the vehicle was pulled from the water, skeletal remains were found inside. One week later the remains were positively identified as belonging to Mr Moldt. | When the vehicle was pulled from the water, skeletal remains were found inside. One week later the remains were positively identified as belonging to Mr Moldt. |
| A report by the Charley Project, an online database of cold cases in the US, said "a property surveyor saw the car while looking at Google Earth". | A report by the Charley Project, an online database of cold cases in the US, said "a property surveyor saw the car while looking at Google Earth". |
| "Amazingly, a vehicle had plainly [been] visible on a Google Earth satellite photo of the area since 2007, but apparently no-one had noticed it until 2019," according to the report. | "Amazingly, a vehicle had plainly [been] visible on a Google Earth satellite photo of the area since 2007, but apparently no-one had noticed it until 2019," according to the report. |
| What appears to be a silver car submerged in the pond can still be viewed on Google Maps. | What appears to be a silver car submerged in the pond can still be viewed on Google Maps. |
| Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office told the BBC that Mr Moldt is presumed to have lost control of his vehicle and driven into the pond. | |
| The force said that, during the initial investigation into his disappearance, there was "no evidence of that occurring" until recently, when a shift in the water made the car visible. | The force said that, during the initial investigation into his disappearance, there was "no evidence of that occurring" until recently, when a shift in the water made the car visible. |
| "You can't determine what happened that many years ago, what transpired," police spokeswoman Therese Barbera said. | "You can't determine what happened that many years ago, what transpired," police spokeswoman Therese Barbera said. |
| "All we know is that he went missing off the face of the Earth, and now he's been discovered." | "All we know is that he went missing off the face of the Earth, and now he's been discovered." |
| Ms Barbera said it was a neighbour that reported the sunken car and was not aware of reports that Google Maps had been used. | Ms Barbera said it was a neighbour that reported the sunken car and was not aware of reports that Google Maps had been used. |
| On the night of his disappearance, Mr Moldt left the club at about 23:00 local time (03:00 GMT), a report by the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System said. | On the night of his disappearance, Mr Moldt left the club at about 23:00 local time (03:00 GMT), a report by the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System said. |
| Mr Moldt, a quiet man who did not socialise much, did not appear intoxicated and left alone in his vehicle, it added. | Mr Moldt, a quiet man who did not socialise much, did not appear intoxicated and left alone in his vehicle, it added. |
| "He also was not a frequent drinker but did have several drinks at the bar," the report said. | "He also was not a frequent drinker but did have several drinks at the bar," the report said. |
| Mr Moldt called his girlfriend at about 21:30, telling her he would be home soon, but was never seen or heard from again. | Mr Moldt called his girlfriend at about 21:30, telling her he would be home soon, but was never seen or heard from again. |
| Mr Moldt's family has been informed about the discovery of his remains. It is not known whether his girlfriend has been contacted. | Mr Moldt's family has been informed about the discovery of his remains. It is not known whether his girlfriend has been contacted. |