Body found in vehicle in Mount Sinai Harbor believed to be man missing since 2010
A vehicle pulled out of Mount Sinai Harbor may help give closure to a grieving family in Suffolk County.
The work of volunteers helped lead to a possible break in the 15-year-old cold case of Robert J. Long.
PT Cruiser found during search for missing Long Islander Robert J. Long
A man who goes by the name "Diver Dan" and his colleague William McIntosh are with the nonprofit Exploring With A Mission — Adventures With A Purpose. Through sponsorships and donations, volunteers help grieving families around the globe.
"Our mission is to bring lost ones home," Diver Dan said.
They came to Suffolk County to explore the case of 62-year-old Long, who left home in his PT Cruiser in 2010 and never returned.
"We've got 50 cases that we're working on in 50 days," Diver Dan said.
"We probability diagram everything. We look at the mapping," McIntosh said.
They focus on locating cars and searching bodies of water near hometowns of missing individuals. The organizations' divers use state-of-the-art sonar technology.
McIntosh says that's how he was able to determine the barnacle-covered vehicle they found was a PT Cruiser.
"I knew immediately. I knew in two minutes that I had it," he said.
Human remains found in submerged vehicle near Miller Place
Diver Dan and McIntosh then called the police.
"We found some human remains in the vehicle, yes. And we believe this is a missing person case. We don't believe this is a criminal case," Suffolk County Police Officer Kevin Beyrer said.
Emotions spilled over when detectives notified Long's family, who said they will speak after a positive identification has been made.
Residents of the hamlet came to offer support and hope.
"There's closure for the family," Christine Matlock said. "Poor woman didn't know what happened."
"And an outside group found it, which is amazing," Gerard Matlock said.
For years, Long's family had been passing out fliers at Mount Sinai Harbor, asking for help. They said it was among his favorite spots to feed seagulls.
"It's always mixed emotions. We're giving this family answers, but also the worst possible news," Diver Dan said.
The Exploring With a Mission team will next move on to five more Long Islanders who have been missing for decades.
