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Google Earth search leads to remains of man missing for 22 years

It took 22 years, but a missing man's remains were finally found thanks to someone who zoomed in on his former neighbourhood on Google Earth, and noticed a car submerged in a lake, authorities said.

The skeletal remains were of William Moldt, who went missing in 1997 at the age of 40, according to police.

A previous resident of the Grand Isles neighbourhood in Wellington, Florida, US, was checking the neighbourhood on Google Earth when he made the discovery, a police spokeswoman said on Thursday.

Investigators found the remains of William Earl Moldt inside a car submerged in a lake 22 years after he went missing. Source: Google Maps
Investigators found the remains of William Earl Moldt inside a car submerged in a lake 22 years after he went missing. Source: Google Maps

The former resident contacted a current homeowner, who used a drone to confirm it was a white car on the edge of the pond behind his house.

The man called the sheriff's office on August 28, and deputies later arrived to find the white sedan's exterior "heavily calcified."

After they got the car out, they found the skeletal remains inside.

The missing man's car was spotted on Google Maps submerged in a retention pond, in Wellington, Florida. Source: Google Maps
The missing man's car was spotted on Google Maps submerged in a retention pond, in Wellington, Florida. Source: Google Maps

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System says Moldt went to a nightclub in November 1997 but did not appear intoxicated as he left alone before midnight.

He had called his girlfriend from the club saying he would return to their Lantana home soon.

The subdivision was under construction when Moldt went missing, but the pond was already there.

William Earl Moldt went missing driving home from a nightclub on November 7, 1997. Source: National Missing and Unidentified Persons System
William Earl Moldt went missing driving home from a nightclub on November 7, 1997. Source: National Missing and Unidentified Persons System

Barry Fay, whose home is near where the car was found, told The Palm Beach Post that he had never noticed anything from the shoreline.

"Never did I believe there would be a 22-year-old dead body," Mr Fay told the newspaper.

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