Sonar team finds Florida woman’s remains in submerged minivan 10 years after disappearing
By Michelle Meredith
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BREVARD COUNTY, Florida (WESH) — Deputies confirmed the discovery of a minivan belonging to a woman who vanished 10 years ago in Brevard County.
Katya Belaya, a mother of three and a science professor at Eastern Florida State College, left her home in Melbourne to go to the store and never returned.
A volunteer group called Sunshine State Sonar, which specializes in solving cold cases using sonar, took on the case.
“We originally found out about this case, someone had messaged us and showed us some of the heartbreaking messages that were online from her daughters,” Sunshine State Sonar Owner Michael Sullivan said.
They have resolved 15 cases in less than two years.
“We are using three types of sonar to do these searches and people think they are cut and dried … that you can put a side sonar on a boat and drive around that you’re going to see a little cartoon character. It sees shadows, and it takes time to develop those skills. We do it on a regular basis, and that’s why we are so successful,” Sullivan said.
Sunshine State Sonar searched over 30 bodies of water near the spot where Belaya’s phone last pinged.
Days before Christmas, they found her white Honda Odyssey upside down, sunk in a 24-foot-deep retention pond.
Inside were human remains.
The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the remains inside have been positively identified as those of the missing woman, but how she died is not known.
“I spoke to the daughters … they reached out to me on the phone … and they expressed their gratitude, etc … and I think they were still in shock,” Sullivan said.
With one question answered, many more questions surrounding the death of their beloved mother remain unresolved.
The search group said they’re working on 72 missing person cases in Florida.
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