Diver helps solve a nearly 20-year-old cold case involving a fellow diver gone missing
A nearly 20-year-old cold case involving a missing diver has been solved in Volusia County with the help of the County's medical examiner, who has expertise in diving.
The Volusia County Sheriff's Office says DNA testing from human remains that washed onto New Smyrna Beach in 2007 belong to Robert Martin, a diver who disappeared off ther coast of Ponce Inlet in 2006.
It wasn't until 2024 that the remains were submitted for advanced forensic testing under the Missing and Unidentified Human Remains grant program, when any progress was made.
Then, in May 2025, a match was made officially linking the remains to Martin who disappeared during a trip to the dive site known as the 'party grounds,' about 20 miles offshore.
The Volusia County medical examiner, Dr. James Fulcher, who was a certified diver for over 25 years, used his knowledge and experience to examine Martin's equipment and determined his death to be an accident, and no foul play was involved.
'With my diving background, I could examine the equipment and picture what he likely experienced,' Fulcher said in a news release. 'Based on the condition of the gear and known challenges of the dive site, we were able to pinpoint probable malfunctions and evaluate how his habits may have played a role. That helped us determine this was a tragic accident—not foul play.'
According to VCSO, Martin's next of kin was notified.
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