“Robert Bruce McPhail Identified as Victim in 26-Year-Old Cold Case Murder”

Robert Bruce McPhail, a man found murdered and floating in the Intracoastal Waterway in 1997, has finally been identified after 26 years. The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office’s Cold Case Unit, in collaboration with Othram, a forensic sequencing laboratory, cracked the case. McPhail’s identification has turned the case from a cold case into a murder investigation, although it is possible that his killer or killers are deceased. The Sheriff’s Office is now working to find the culprits and bring justice to McPhail and his family. FlaglerLive reported

A facial approximation of Robert Bruce McPhail, created by Betty Pat Gatliff of Skullpture Inc. in 1997, is featured in a figure with a width of 1000px. It has been revealed that McPhail, a 58-year-old boater originally from the Kenora-Winnipeg area of Manitoba, Canada, who had relocated to South Florida in the mid-1990s, is the man who was found murdered and floating in the Intracoastal Waterway in September 1997. After 26 years, Detective Sarah Scalia of the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office’s Cold Case Unit, in collaboration with Othram, a forensic sequencing laboratory, has successfully identified McPhail. The announcement of this breakthrough was made during a training session hosted by the Flagler Sheriff’s Office for the Florida Sheriffs Association Cold Case Advisory Commission.

This identification transforms the case from a cold case into an active murder investigation, although it is possible that the killer or killers of McPhail may themselves be deceased. The discovery of McPhail’s body took place on the morning of September 10, 1997, when two Sea Ray employees were testing a boat in the Intracoastal Waterway near the Lehigh canal. Initially mistaking the body for boat fenders submerged in the water, they soon realized it was a human body. The naked body of a man, with a gunshot wound to the head, was recovered by a Flagler County Sheriff’s dive team and Flagler Beach paramedics. The body had been tied to weights and roped to the bottom, but the rope had severed, causing the bloated body to float to the surface. It was also noted that one of his arms was missing, with an eyewitness claiming to have seen an alligator with the arm in its mouth.

Investigations were conducted by various agencies, including the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Marine Patrol (now the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission). A partial handprint was found, but the body had no recoverable fingerprints or dental charts. After an autopsy in St. Augustine, the body was sent to the University of Florida’s forensic lab for testing, and a national missing-person bulletin was issued. However, no missing person matching the man’s description was found in Flagler County records.

Authorities analyzed the boat traffic crossing into Flagler waters at High bridge during the four days preceding the discovery of the body. A total of 54 boats had crossed in that period, but the bridgetender did not report noticing anything resembling a body on board any of the boats. It was acknowledged that McPhail’s murder could have occurred elsewhere, as he was not a local resident, and his body may have been dumped in the local waters.

Shortly after the discovery of McPhail’s body, another unidentified body, that of a woman displaying signs of head trauma, was found in a shallow ditch off of State Road 100. This prompted then-Sheriff Bob McCarthy to comment on the area becoming a dumping ground. (The woman was later identified.)

The investigation into McPhail’s murder remained unsolved throughout multiple sheriff administrations until Sheriff Rick Staly created the Cold Case Unit in 2020. Detective Scalia submitted the victim’s bones to Othram in 2021, a company specializing in resolving cold cases through DNA analysis. Othram’s involvement in the McPhail investigation cost $8,899. They had previously aided prosecutors in New York in identifying the skull of Karen Vergata, a missing woman from 1996. Moreover, Othram is currently assisting the Sheriff’s Office in investigating another cold case involving a woman found in 1993 near Sea Ship Place in Palm Coast.

Sheriff Rick Staly expressed his determination to bring justice to McPhail and his family, urging anyone with information about McPhail’s life or his murder to come forward. Tips can be submitted through email or directly to Detective Sarah Scalia. Anonymous tips can also be provided to Crime Stoppers of Northeast Florida, with the possibility of receiving a reward.

Sheriff Mike Prendergast, Chairman of the Florida Cold Case Advisory Commission, emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts in resolving cold cases, ensuring that justice is never forgotten, and providing closure to affected families and communities.

In summary, the identification of Robert Bruce McPhail after 26 years marks a significant development in the murder investigation. Detective Scalia’s relentless work, along with the assistance of Othram, has revived the case and opened new avenues for finding the perpetrator(s). The Sheriff’s Office is dedicated to pursuing justice and encourages anyone with relevant information to come forward..