STUART, FL — Martin County deputies recovered a body from deep in the mangroves near the House of Refuge after a search that began with a found wallet, a missing vehicle and a family report for Michael Anthony Debevec.
Sheriff John Budensiek said investigators have not officially confirmed the remains are Debevec, who was reported missing Aug. 26. But clothing on the body matched what detectives believe he was wearing, and his family was told a body had been found.
The Search
The case widened after a Good Samaritan found Debevec’s wallet on Saturday and tried to return it by going to his home. That visit led family members to file a missing person report, deputies said.
Investigators then found Debevec’s vehicle Saturday afternoon at Chastain Beach, a little more than two miles from where the body was later discovered. That discovery brought ground crews and aerial units into the search.
Where He Went
Deputies said Debevec traveled from the Port St. Lucie area to Martin County around 3 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 27, and parked at Chastain Beach. Phone records showed activity Friday morning that moved back and forth between Chastain Beach and the House of Refuge.
Those movements helped narrow the search area in the mangroves, where investigators focused their effort before finding the body Tuesday morning.
Backpack Found
On Tuesday morning, investigators found a backpack belonging to Debevec hanging high in a tree, with his computer inside. That discovery sent searchers deeper into the thick mangroves.
Not long after, they found the body. Budensiek said the remains were badly decomposed, making it difficult to determine a cause of death at the scene.
What Officials Know
The sheriff said investigators believe they likely found Debevec, but the identification was not yet official as of Tuesday. The body was found in a remote area near the House of Refuge, a stretch of coastline that made the recovery difficult.
Deputies have not said what led to Debevec’s death. The family had already been notified that a body was found as investigators continued sorting through the evidence.
Next Steps
With the body recovered, investigators are now left with the task of confirming the identity and learning more about what happened in the mangroves. The sheriff said the condition of the remains limits what can be determined right now.
The case is centered on the timeline built from the wallet, the vehicle, the phone data and the backpack. Those details now form the basis of the continuing investigation.
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