Camilla Jessen
Police find the car and remains of a Florida man missing since 2015.
The body of 25-year-old Steven MacKrell has been found inside his submerged car in a Boca Raton pond, a decade after his disappearance.
Found in a Ford Fusion
On October 2, MacKrell was discovered along with his white Ford Fusion in a pond near Interstate 95 in Boca Raton.
This was reported by Sunshine State Sonar, the private underwater search company that made the discovery.
Underwater search
Sunshine State Sonar said its team found the car and remains submerged at around 7:20 p.m. local time.
The search effort was a joint operation with the Fort Lauderdale Police Department and the Boca Raton Police Services Department.
“Without the hard work and incredible efforts of both agencies, this case would not have been resolved. May Steven’s loved ones find strength and comfort during this challenging time,” the organization said in a statement.
The night he disappeared
MacKrell was last seen on July 30, 2015, after leaving Lucky’s Tavern in downtown Fort Lauderdale around 1:30 a.m.
An hour later, he was spotted buying snacks at a Valero gas station.
He was supposed to meet up with friends later that night but never showed up.
An unsolved confrontation
According to CBS News, police reviewed gas station surveillance footage showing MacKrell involved in a brief confrontation with another man.
Investigators said the man followed MacKrell out of the station, but no further evidence of the encounter was found.
Extensive searches over the years
At the time of his disappearance, Fort Lauderdale police said they had searched nearly 200 bodies of water across South Florida in hopes of finding MacKrell’s vehicle.
Despite their efforts, the case went cold for nearly a decade.
“I’m still looking for him”
MacKrell’s mother, Astrid, told CBS News in 2019 that she still dreamed her son would come home.
“I dream sometimes that he’s coming home. He’s knocking on the door, I’m going to open the door and he’s there,” she said.
“I just hope those dreams will come true. I’m still looking for him.”
Loved ones and legacy
MacKrell was a father to one daughter, Skylar, with his girlfriend, Alisha Carr.
Police have not said whether foul play is suspected, but the discovery of the car and remains has reopened parts of the investigation to determine how the vehicle ended up in the pond.
This article is made and published by Camilla Jessen, which may have used AI in the preparation
