The remains of a Florida woman who had been missing since 2014 were found in her minivan, which had been submerged in a retention pond just over a mile from her home.
Katya Belaya, a science professor at Eastern Florida State College, was last seen in September 2014. She told her family she would be back in 30 minutes after a trip to the store, but she never returned. Her minivan was found on December 20, 2024, after new information led searchers to the location. The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office had shared cellphone data that helped locate the vehicle. Sunshine State Sonar, a search team specializing in locating submerged vehicles, found the van.
Mike Sullivan, from Sunshine State Sonar, explained that they received a tip and used various types of sonar to search 32 bodies of water. They had previously solved 15 cold cases in the past two years. The search team located two other submerged vehicles before they found Belaya’s van. Once the van was discovered, authorities confirmed the remains inside were those of Katya Belaya through a DNA test.
The cause of the car’s submersion in the pond is still unknown, and authorities are continuing their investigation. The case had remained unsolved for years, but thanks to new leads, it was finally resolved. Sullivan said that Belaya’s daughters expressed their gratitude after the discovery, though they were still in shock from the news.
Sunshine State Sonar, which works with the Major Crimes Unit of the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, will continue to investigate the case. They are now looking into 72 other missing person cases in Florida.
