A body was found inside a submerged vehicle in a retention pond near Walt Disney World Resort. Due to the efforts of the volunteer civilian dive group, Sunshine State Sonar. 

The remains have been identified as Sandra Lemire, an Orlando woman who mysteriously disappeared over a decade ago.

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Sunshine State Sonar 

The Orlando Police Department received assistance from Sunshine State Sonar, is known for its expertise in locating missing persons, vehicles, or vessels believed to be in waterways.

 The submerged 2004 Ford Freestar van was discovered in a retention pond along World Drive, south of Walt Disney World Resort.

The group's collaboration with law enforcement agencies, including the Orlando Police Department, played a pivotal role in the recovery of Sandra Lemire's body and the long-missing vehicle.

Sunshine State Sonar utilizes advanced sonar technology, sending pulses of sound waves into the water and capturing the waves that bounce back to create detailed images.

 This cutting-edge imaging technique, comparable to an MRI scanner in hospitals, has become increasingly affordable for portable devices. The group's mission extends beyond recovery, focusing on the preservation of evidence crucial to investigations.

Florida Highway Patrol Investigation

The Florida Highway Patrol is presently investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash. According to a preliminary report, the Ford Freestar van was traveling on the State Road 417 southbound exit ramp to World Drive when, for unknown reasons, the driver ran off the roadway and entered the retention pond, resulting in the complete submersion of the vehicle. 

The specific date and time of the crash are still under investigation. But it likely occurred when Sandra Lemire disappeared.

Lemire vanished on May 8, 2012, after leaving her grandmother's home in Orlando. She was last seen driving her grandmother's red van, the same vehicle found submerged in the retention pond. Lemire was reportedly on her way to Kissimmee to meet with a man she had connected with through an online dating service.

Despite calling her grandmother upon reaching Kissimmee, Lemire failed to inform her about her return journey. And then she disappeared. 

The missing person investigation remained unresolved for more than a decade.

The discovery of Sandra Lemire's body and the vehicle brings a sense of closure to her family and sheds light on a mysterious disappearance that has lingered for years.