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Human remains discovered in a submerged vehicle in Mount Sinai Harbor on Monday, June 30, are those of Robert “Bob” Long, who disappeared in 2010, his wife Joanne confirmed on Facebook.
"My husband's remains have been recovered," she said on the "Please Help Find Bob Long" Facebook group. "I would like to express my gratitude for your unwavering support, dedication, compassion, and respect during these difficult years."
The discovery was made at around 5 p.m. Monday when volunteer dive teams from Explorers With a Mission and Adventures With Purpose using side-scan sonar found a Chrysler PT Cruiser – the same car Long was driving when he disappeared – submerged near the Cedar Beach boat ramp, Suffolk County Police said.
Divers entered the submerged vehicle and surfaced with what appeared to be a human bone. Police were called to the scene, and operations continued Tuesday, July 1, when additional human remains were recovered by the Suffolk County Police Marine Bureau. The vehicle was later pulled from the water using a crane.
The Suffolk County Medical Examiner’s Office is working to officially confirm the identity and determine a cause of death.
Long, a Miller Place resident who was 62 at the time, was last seen on December 21, 2010, after leaving the Miller Place Wine & Liquor Store around noon. The search spanned over a decade, and the case grew cold.
In a 2016 GoFundMe campaign created to help his wife, Joanne, organizer Debbie Diaz described the immense toll the disappearance had taken.
“Since December 21, 2010, when Bob vanished without a trace, the police were unfortunately never able to close the case. Joanne has suffered both physically, mentally, and financially,” Diaz wrote. “She has already lost so much — her husband, her health, her freedom. Please let’s assure she doesn’t lose her home.”
The recovery was confirmed by Adventures With Purpose, who posted late Monday, “The Exploring With a Mission Team, sponsored and supported by Adventures With Purpose, has located one of the lost loved ones we were searching for on Long Island.”
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the Suffolk County Police Department at 631-852-6392.
Joanne Long said she continues to pray for the families of other missing people.
"For those who are still awaiting answers, and I remain hopeful," she said. "My heart remains with each and everyone of you. My prayer is for you to find your loved one."
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