Executive Summary
- Mary Lou Combs disappeared in August 2003; her case remained unsolved for 22 years.
- Volunteers located a submerged vehicle in the Intracoastal Waterway near an old boat ramp.
- FBI divers assisted Flagler County deputies in recovering remains and identifying evidence from 17-foot depths.
- Medical implants and personal effects confirmed the identity of the remains as Combs.
- Investigators ruled the death accidental, citing an unintentional entry into the water.
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly announced on Friday the definitive closure of a 22-year-old missing person case following the recovery of a vehicle and human remains identified as Mary Lou Combs from the Intracoastal Waterway. The discovery, facilitated by FBI divers and local law enforcement, brings an end to an investigation that began when Combs vanished in August 2003.
According to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO), Combs, then 41, was last seen on August 1, 2003, leaving her home on Sanchez Avenue in a red 1996 Dodge Neon following a family dispute. Sheriff Staly noted that Combs failed to appear for her daughter Natasha’s 13th birthday or collect her final paycheck from Food Lion, leading to her classification as a missing person. For over two decades, her whereabouts and the location of her vehicle remained unknown.
The breakthrough occurred on October 25 when volunteers using sonar located a vehicle submerged upside-down in the Intracoastal Waterway near 18th Road. Sheriff Staly stated that the FCSO dive team initially attempted recovery but was hindered by the 17-foot depth and heavy silt. Consequently, the agency requested assistance from the FBI’s dive team based in Miami and its response team in Jacksonville. FBI Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley led the federal recovery operation, which deployed approximately 30 personnel to the site.
Investigators reported that divers entered the vehicle through an open window and recovered significant evidence despite the car’s deterioration from decades in saltwater. Items retrieved included a driver’s license issued to Combs, toys identified by her daughter, and human remains. An FBI anthropologist on the scene confirmed the presence of metal plates in the ankle bones, which matched Combs’s medical records. While final DNA confirmation is pending, authorities consider the identification conclusive.
Sheriff Staly indicated that the evidence points to an accidental death rather than foul play. Investigators believe Combs accidentally drove into the waterway via an old boat ramp at the end of 18th Road, which has since been blocked. The vehicle was subsequently carried north by the current. Damage to a window suggested Combs may have attempted to escape the submerged vehicle. “It really does appear that it was an accident at this point,” Staly told the family during a press conference at the Sheriff’s Operations Center.
Investigative Closure and Safety Implications
The resolution of the Mary Lou Combs case underscores the critical role of dedicated cold case units and inter-agency cooperation in modern law enforcement. By establishing a cold case unit in 2020, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office institutionalized the review of dormant files, allowing for the integration of new technologies and volunteer resources that ultimately located the vehicle. Furthermore, the incident highlights historical infrastructure hazards; the unblocked boat ramp at 18th Road presented a latent danger that contributed to the fatality. The closure of this access point prevents future tragedies, while the forensic recovery provides necessary legal and emotional finality for the surviving family.
