PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — The remains of Robert Helphrey, a Pinellas County man who was been reported missing since 2006, have been identified after his car was found in a pond last week.
The Pinellas County Medical Examiner's Office (PCMEO) found the remains on April 14, 2023, in a vehicle found underwater in a Palm Harbor pond.
The Sunshine State Sonar Search Team located the car, and later was recovered by the Underwater Search and Recovery Team.
Deputies with the Underwater Search and Recovery Team recovered a 2005 Mitsubishi SUV registered to Helphrey in a retention pond directly east of Old Oak Circle and Belcher Road in Palm Harbor.
According to authorities, Helphrey was reported missing in 2006 after leaving Peggy O'Neils Bar in Palm Harbor and failing to return home.
Around 2:05 a.m., Helphrey called a friend asking them to meet at Helphrey's apartment in Palm Harbor, on May 22, 2006, around 2:05 a.m.
Helphrey never arrived home after leaving Peggy O'Neals.
This is an ongoing investigation and the Pinellas County Medical Examiner's Office is still investigating the cause of death.
