Human Remains Found in Submerged Car Believed to Belong to Missing Florida Mother

Mary Lou Combs vanished without a trace 22 years ago, but divers have now recovered her vehicle and suspected remains from a waterway near her home.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

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 her mother's home in 2003.

Why it matters

Combs' disappearance had been a long-standing mystery in the local community, with rumors circulating for years about what may have happened to her. The recovery of her vehicle and suspected remains provides some closure for her family, who had been searching for answers for over two decades.

The details

Combs was last seen on August 19, 2003, leaving a home she shared 'periodically' with her mother and three children. She never returned and never showed up to her daughter's birthday party days later, which was completely out of character. Combs also never picked up her final paycheck from her job. For years, investigators chased tips and searched multiple locations, 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. A multi-day recovery operation involving the FBI's Underwater Search and Evidence Response Team and other agencies began on February 3, and divers were able to recover the submerged vehicle and its contents, including a steering wheel, a manual window crank, a floor mat, a size 7 shoe consistent with Combs' size, and children's items.

  • On August 19, 2003, Combs was last seen leaving a home she shared 'periodically' with her mother and three children.
  • In October 2025, a voluntary dive team located what appeared to be a bumper matching Combs' missing vehicle in the Intracoastal Waterway near Palm Coast.
  • On February 3, 2026, a multi-day recovery operation began to recover the submerged vehicle and its contents.

The players

Mary Lou Combs

A 41-year-old Palm Coast woman who mysteriously vanished in 2003 without a trace.

Flagler County Sheriff's Office

The law enforcement agency that announced the recovery of Combs' vehicle and suspected remains.

FBI's Underwater Search and Evidence Response Team

The specialized team that assisted in the multi-day recovery operation.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

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.”

— Sheriff Rick Staly, Flagler County Sheriff

What’s next

The remains are now with the medical examiner, and DNA testing is underway to confirm the identity and determine the cause of death.

The takeaway

The recovery of Combs' vehicle and suspected remains after over two decades provides some closure for her family, who had been searching for answers since her mysterious disappearance in 2003. This case highlights the importance of persistent investigations and the use of advanced technology, like underwater search teams, in solving long-standing missing persons cases.