Police discovered the 86-year-old man after investigating a damaged waterfront fence near a condominium community on the Indian River Lagoon.
VERO BEACH, Fla. — An 86-year-old man who was reported missing Wednesday night was found dead Thursday inside a vehicle submerged in the Indian River Lagoon, according to the Vero Beach Police Department.
Officers made the discovery Oct. 22 after responding to the Greytwig Road area on Vero Beach’s barrier island following a report of a damaged fence near a seawall. Police found a vehicle in the lagoon at Riverside Gardens, a condominium community near the waterfront. The Indian River County Fire Rescue Dive Team responded and confirmed that a man was inside the vehicle. Authorities identified him as the missing 86-year-old resident, but his name had not been publicly released.
The discovery came after the man was reported missing the previous night. Police said he lived in the area. Authorities have not publicly detailed the circumstances of his disappearance, including when he was last seen or when investigators believe the vehicle entered the water.
Police were called back to the area after damage was noticed along a fence near the seawall. CBS12 reported that the damaged section separated parking spaces from the lagoon and that investigators believe the vehicle traveled through the fence before entering the water. The exact sequence of events, however, remained under investigation Thursday night.
The vehicle was described in an initial report as a 2006 Honda CR-V. Emergency crews worked at the waterfront after the SUV was located, and the dive team assisted police in confirming that someone was inside. Authorities determined that the occupant was deceased. Police said the man’s next of kin was notified.
Investigators have not announced what caused the vehicle to enter the Indian River Lagoon or whether the man experienced a medical problem or another emergency before the incident. Police also had not publicly released a determination on when the SUV entered the water. No evidence of criminal activity had been announced as of Thursday night.
An autopsy is planned to determine the man’s cause of death, police said. That examination could provide investigators with additional information about what happened before or after the vehicle entered the lagoon. Authorities had not released an official cause or manner of death Thursday.
The location of the discovery also raised questions about the waterfront barrier separating parking areas from the lagoon. CBS12 reported that it contacted Riverside Gardens property management seeking information about previous concerns involving the fence or seawall and whether additional barriers had been considered. The station reported that it had not received a response at the time of publication.
Police thanked the Indian River County Fire Rescue Dive Team for its assistance and expressed condolences to the man’s family and loved ones. The death remained under investigation Thursday, with authorities awaiting the autopsy and continuing efforts to determine how the vehicle ended up in the lagoon.
Author note: Last updated October 22, 2026.