The mystery of a man who vanished without a trace after leaving a strip club 22 years ago was finally solved when a sunken car was spotted on Google Earth.
William Earl Moldt's skeletal remains were found after a man scanned satellite maps and noticed what appeared to be a car submerged in a retention pond behind a house.
The former neighbourhood resident contacted the home's owner and explained what he had found, so the owner flew a camera-equipped drone over the pond and saw the vehicle underwater.
After police were alerted, the heavily-calcified car was hauled out of the pond in Wellington, Florida, and human remains were found inside.
The remains were positively identified as mortgage broker Mr Moldt, who was 40 when he vanished on November 7, 1997.
The car had been visible on Google Earth since the service launched in 2007, but no-one had apparently noticed it until now.
Barry Fay, whose house backs onto the pond, said he had never noticed the vehicle from the shoreline.
He told the Palm Beach Post that he was stunned when the car was hauled out, adding: “Never did I believe there would be a 22-year-old dead body."
He was last seen leaving a a strip club alone in his car at about 11pm and did not appear to be intoxicated, according to a case listing on the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs).
He had called his girlfriend at about 9.30pm to tell her that he would return soon to their home in Lantana - about 15 miles from the pond where his remains were found - but she never heard from him again.
Mr Moldt was a "quiet man" and did not socialise much at the club, according to NamUs.
He was not a frequent drinker but did have several drinks at the bar.
Mr Moldt, who would have turned 62 this year, was reported missing the following day.
His car went into the pond when houses in the new development were under construction and there were no barriers.
Police launched an investigation and multiple appeals and searches were not successful.
The discovery of Mr Moldt's remains on August 28 has brought long-awaited answers to his family and friends.
The Charley Project, which lists missing persons cases which have gone cold, wrote: "Amazingly, a vehicle had been plainly visible on a Google Earth satellite photo of the area since 2007, but apparently no one had noticed it until 2019, when a property surveyor saw the car while looking at Google Earth."
A spokesperson for the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said: "A previous resident living in Grand Isles was doing a 'Google search' on Google Earth, in the area and noticed what appeared to be a vehicle in the pond behind a residence.
"That previous resident contacted the current resident living on Moon Bay Circle and advised he noticed what appears to be a vehicle in a pond behind his home.
"The current resident activated his personal drone and confirmed what the previous resident saw and immediately contacted PBSO.
"Upon arrival deputies confirmed there was a vehicle in the pond.
"The vehicle’s exterior was heavily calcified and was obviously in the water for a significant amount of time.
"Upon removing the vehicle skeleton remains were found inside.
"Detectives and Crime Scene responded and assumed the investigation.
"The vehicle and the remains were towed to the Medical Examiner's Office for processing.
"On September 10, 2019, the remains were positively identified as William Moldt, who was reported missing on November 8, 1997."
Last week, police in Canada revealed that the body of Janet Farris, 69, who disappeared on her way to a wedding in 1992 had been found in a submerged car.
Max Werekna, 13, at Griffin Lake in Revelstoke, British Columbia, while he was out in a boat with family.
