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Palm Coast Today
By the People, for the People
Human Remains Found in Submerged Car Believed to Belong to Missing Florida Mother
Mary Lou Combs vanished 22 years ago, but her family may now get answers in the decades-long search.
Published on Feb. 25, 2026
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More than two decades after a Florida mother mysteriously vanished without a trace, divers have recovered human remains and her submerged car from a waterway. The Flagler County Sheriff's Office announced that divers recovered parts of a red 1996 Plymouth Neon, clothing, children's toys, a Florida driver's license and human remains believed to be those of Mary Lou Combs, a Palm Coast woman who was last seen leaving a home she shared with her mother and three children in 2003.
Why it matters
The discovery of Combs' car and remains may finally provide answers to her family after more than 20 years of uncertainty and speculation about what happened to her. The case highlights the challenges law enforcement faces in solving missing persons cases, especially those without clear evidence, and the importance of never giving up the search for closure.
The details
Combs was last seen on Aug. 19, 2003, leaving a home she shared "periodically" with her mother and three children. She never returned and never picked up her final paycheck from her job at a local Food Lion. Investigators chased tips and searched multiple locations for years, but no evidence surfaced until October 2025 when a voluntary dive team located what appeared to be a bumper matching Combs' missing vehicle in the Intracoastal Waterway near Palm Coast. The vehicle was later found upside down, buried in 14 to 17 feet of water and muck. Divers recovered various items from the car, including a bone containing a metal plate believed to match an ankle reconstruction surgery Combs had undergone before she disappeared.
- Combs was last seen on August 19, 2003.
- In October 2025, a dive team located what appeared to be Combs' missing vehicle in the Intracoastal Waterway.
- The recovery operation began on February 3, 2026.
The players
Mary Lou Combs
A 41-year-old Palm Coast woman who went missing in 2003.
Flagler County Sheriff's Office
The law enforcement agency that led the investigation and recovery operation.
Rick Staly
The Flagler County Sheriff who expressed hope that the investigation can provide Combs' family with the answers they need.
What they’re saying
“All the evidence gathered thus far suggests that the remains we have recovered are those of Mary Lou Combs. While this is not the outcome anyone hoped for, we knew locating Mary alive was extremely unlikely given the length of time she had been missing.”
— Rick Staly, Flagler County Sheriff (foxnews.com)
What’s next
The remains are now with the medical examiner, and DNA testing is underway to confirm identity and determine the cause of death.
The takeaway
This case highlights the challenges law enforcement faces in solving missing persons cases, especially those without clear evidence. After more than 20 years, the discovery of Combs' car and remains may finally provide her family with the answers and closure they have been seeking.
