PONCE INLET, FL – June 14, 2025 – The nearly two-decade-long mystery surrounding the disappearance of Florida diver Robert Martin has finally been brought to a close, thanks to advancements in DNA technology and the specialized expertise of the Volusia County Medical Examiner's Office.

Martin, who vanished off the coast of Ponce Inlet in 2006, has now been identified through human remains found a year later.

Robert Martin disappeared after a diving trip approximately 20 miles offshore from Ponce Inlet. Despite extensive searches at the time, his fate remained unknown. Then, in 2007, a human jawbone washed ashore on New Smyrna Beach. Due to limitations in DNA technology at the time, authorities were unable to identify the individual to whom the bone belonged, and the case went cold.

However, a breakthrough came recently when the bone was submitted to a specialized lab for further, more advanced DNA testing. The results definitively linked the remains to Robert Martin, providing long-awaited answers to his family and investigators.

Adding a crucial layer to the investigation, Volusia County Chief Medical Examiner James Fulcher, himself an experienced diver, examined the diving equipment that also washed ashore following Martin's disappearance. Based on the condition of the gear and knowledge of the dive site, Fulcher was able to deduce a likely scenario for Martin's death.

"We believe he became trapped under some rocks looking for lobsters," Fulcher stated, noting that Martin was known to be lobstering. "He took off his buoyancy compensator vest, which has the tank and the regulator." Fulcher further explained, "The decedent came up and yelled for help then was never seen again, so, presumably, this was a drowning related to the lack of flotation on the surface."

This expert deduction, combined with the recent DNA identification, has provided significant insight into a case that has puzzled authorities and haunted Martin's loved ones for almost two decades. The identification of Robert Martin brings a measure of closure to a long-unanswered disappearance, highlighting the persistent efforts of forensic science and the dedication of investigators to cold cases.

Nearly Two Decades Later, Missing Florida Diver's Case Solved Through Advanced DNA

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