Human remains discovered nearly two decades ago along the Florida coastline have been identified as those of Robert “Bobby” Martin, a scuba diver who disappeared in 2006 during a dive off Ponce de Leon Inlet, according to a report in the Daytona Beach News Journal.
Martin, who was 45 years old and lived in New Smyrna Beach, vanished during a dive trip on September 30, 2006. He was diving with two companions in an area known as the “Party Grounds,” a reef system located approximately 22 miles offshore. Witnesses reported that Martin surfaced, appeared to be in distress, then disappeared beneath the water before help could reach him.
Following his disappearance, a search effort by the U.S. Coast Guard covered approximately 240 square miles over a 30-hour period. Despite these efforts, no trace of Martin was immediately found, and he was later listed as a missing person in state and national databases in 2008.
In 2007, dive gear was recovered east of Ponce Inlet and linked to Martin via a serial number trace to the dive shop where it was purchased. Later that year, a woman walking along New Smyrna Beach reported finding partial human remains. These two discoveries eventually became crucial in identifying Martin.
According to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, a breakthrough came in early 2025 when forensic investigators, using funds from a Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) grant, submitted the remains for advanced DNA sequencing and genealogy research. The process, conducted by Othram, Inc., enabled a DNA match to one of Martin’s relatives. In May, a positive identification was confirmed.
The Volusia County Medical Examiner’s Office, after reviewing the full case—including the recovered diving equipment—concluded that Martin’s death was accidental.
This development closes a long-standing missing person case that had remained unresolved for nearly 19 years.
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