On a December day in 2010, 62-year-old Robert Long left his home on Hilldale Avenue in Suffolk County, New York. It was around 2:30 in the afternoon when he set out for a local store, a simple errand that should have seen him return home shortly after. He was last seen wearing a dark-colored shirt, light blue sweatpants, and tan house slippers. Mr. Long, a Caucasian male with light brown hair and blue eyes who wore glasses, drove off in his off-white 2007 Chrysler PT Cruiser.
The vehicle was recognizable by its New York license plate, EEH4237, and a yellow 'support the troops' ribbon decal on the back. He successfully made it to a nearby wine and liquor store and purchased a bottle of wine, but he never made it back home. His disappearance marked the beginning of a long and painful period of uncertainty for his family and community.
For over a decade, the question of what happened to Robert Long remained unanswered. His case grew cold as years passed without any significant leads. The emotional and financial toll on his wife, Joanne, was immense as she navigated life without her husband, holding onto hope for answers. The Suffolk County Police Department investigated his disappearance, but without new information, the case stalled. The family created a Facebook page titled 'Please Help Find Bob Long' to keep his story in the public eye and to gather any possible leads from the community. Despite these efforts, years of searching yielded no trace of Mr. Long or his PT Cruiser, leaving his loved ones in a prolonged state of grief and ambiguity.
In the summer of 2025, a breakthrough finally came from the dedicated efforts of two independent underwater investigative organizations, Exploring with a Mission and Adventures with Purpose. These volunteer groups, specializing in searching bodies of water for missing persons' vehicles, traveled to Suffolk County to work on cold cases, including Robert Long's. Using advanced sonar technology, the teams scanned Mount Sinai Harbor and located a submerged vehicle. On June 30, 2025, divers confirmed the vehicle was a PT Cruiser, matching the description of the one Mr. Long was driving when he vanished. The car was found in approximately 17 to 19 feet of water, about 55 feet from the boat ramp at Cedar Beach. Tragically, human remains were discovered inside the vehicle. In July 2025, the Suffolk County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed through DNA testing that the remains were those of Robert Long. While authorities stated that his death did not appear to be criminal in nature, the official cause of death remained under investigation. The discovery, though heartbreaking, brought a long-awaited and somber closure to a mystery that had haunted his family and community for nearly fifteen years.Last Seen: Dec 21, 2010
