Car found in Georgia pond could be linked to 44-year disappearance of wealthy Scarsdale, NY couple

The recent discovery of a submerged car in a Georgia pond could be linked to a wealthy Scarsdale, NY couple who went missing more than 40 years ago and sparked one of the largest searches in the state’s history.

Charles and Catharine Romer, “snowbirds” who lived in the ritzy Westchester County enclave for most of the year, vanished in April 1980 during their trek back north after spending the winter in Florida – a yearly tradition since they married in the mid-1970s, according to past reports.

The couple had dropped their items off at a hotel and went for a drive, but they never returned or were seen or heard from again.

Glynn County police revealed that divers on Friday found a car that matches the 1979 Lincoln Continental used by the retired oil executive, 74, and his second wife, 76, in a pond between an interstate and the hotel the pair checked into shortly before disappearing on April 8, 1980.

“At this time there is no conclusion about the identity of the remains that were found,” police said, according to the Brunswick News.

“The pond is being drained and special equipment is being utilized to allow for a thorough investigation by GCPD and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.”

Charles Romer called one of his sons to let him know what the couple’s travel plans were two days before he and his wife went missing.

When the couple reached the Holiday Inn, they registered and unpacked some stuff before leaving the venue.

Glasses and a bottle of scotch were discovered in their room, as well as their tax returns. A worker reported that three days after they checked in, the room hadn’t been occupied with the bed still untouched, according to a New York Times report at the time. 

The couple’s disappearance sparked one of the largest searches ever in southern Georgia and included help from the FBI, the Associated Press reported back then.

Catharine Romer, who was reportedly wearing jewelry between $60,000 and $80,000 at the time of the disappearance, was worth about $1 million, according to the AP.

Charles Romer, who was previously an executive at Sinclair Oil, was declared dead in 1985 by a Westchester surrogate, leaving behind $1.2 million in inheritance, according to the Times.

”We just don’t have any leads right now at all,” one of his sons Charles Romer Jr. told the newspaper of his dad and stepmom’s mysterious disappearance.

”I’ll never give up on it,” said Romer, who at the time still checked in with police yearly.

”I’ll always try to find out what happened.”