MARTIN COUNTY, FL — A body was found on a Martin County beach during the search for Michael Debevec, a man visiting from Oklahoma who had not been seen or heard from since Wednesday afternoon.
The sheriff’s office says the body appears to be Debevec, but official identification has not been completed. Sheriff John Budensiek said the person was wearing clothing that matched what Debevec had on when he was last seen.
Investigators recovered Debevec’s car, wallet and backpack at Bear Chastain Beach. The discovery came after deputies tracked his movements through surveillance video and phone data.
The Search
Budensiek said the body was discovered about 100 yards out into the mangroves, near the river behind the beach area. He said that detail made investigators think the missing man likely ended up dead there.
Authorities have not said exactly when the body was found. The condition of the remains has made the identification process harder.
Phone Trail
Investigators said Debevec’s phone was active from about 5:10 a.m. Friday until about the same time Saturday. During that span, the phone moved between Chastain Beach and the House of Refuge.
Later Saturday, the phone pinged in Celebration, Florida, off Interstate 4, which prompted investigators to dig deeper into the timeline.
Past Case
The sheriff’s office also learned Debevec had previously been reported missing before. Budensiek said that in an earlier case, Debevec disappeared in St. Lucie County and was found alive three days later in the mangroves.
That history added another layer to the search, but officials said it does not change the need for confirmation from the medical examiner.
Official Check
Budensiek said the agency is waiting on the medical examiner because the body is significantly decomposed. Until that process is finished, authorities are treating the case as a likely match rather than a confirmed identification.
The sheriff’s office has not released any further details about the cause of death. The case remains open as investigators continue to piece together Debevec’s final movements.
Next Steps
Officials say the investigation is still developing and more information will be released as it becomes available. For now, the focus remains on confirming the body’s identity and reconstructing how Debevec ended up near the beach and mangroves.
The discovery has shifted the search from a missing-person effort toward a recovery and identification case, but the final call still rests with the medical examiner.
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