Body of woman missing since 1990 found in pond

A red sports car pulled out of a Lee Civic Center pond this week led to the identification of human remains that belong to a woman missing for a quarter of a century.

Rita Sue Zul, whose remains were found in the car, went missing in 1990 after a private party at Marina 31, a lounge where she worked as a waitress.

Cape Coral resident Scott Dunlap, who found the car, said it was almost missed.

Dunlap made the discovery during a search for Chelsey Green, a Fort Myers Shores woman reported missing Friday. After a lack of progress over the weekend, Dunlap did a Google search for any bodies of water near the Lee Civic Center and went to inspect them. Green, who was found in the Caloosahatchee River on Monday by the State Road 31 bridge, had sent a message near that location.

Dunlap said he noticed an oil sheen in one of the ponds and flagged down a deputy who was patrolling the area. Dunlap was told the oil sheen was not enough evidence to send out a dive team.

“I told him I would be back and got a fishing pole and put a magnet on it,” Dunlap said.

He cast the pole three times before it latched onto something.

A friend swam down and confirmed it was a car, Dunlap said.

Zul was 36 years old when she vanished. She would have been 61 today. Zul’s family could not be reached Thursday. The bar where she worked is no longer in operation.

According to the missing person report, Zul had no previous runaway attempts and no history of suicide attempts. When deputies searched Zul's apartment, they found no clothes or personal items missing and her last paycheck uncashed.  Her friend reported her missing the day after she didn't return home from work.

The car in the pond, a red 1975 Datsun, belonged to Zul’s boyfriend, according to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. It was submerged in 20 feet of water.

Dunlap said he hopes finding the car leads to closure for Zul’s family.

He plans to take a wreath to the location where Zul was found in her honor.

Dunlap said he wouldn’t be surprised if there is another car in the pond.

He plans to put together an organization called Team Closure, where his friends and brothers can scour Southwest Florida’s waterways for any other vehicles that may have been lost to time.

If the pond where Zul was found isn’t searched by authorities, Dunlap said he plans to start there.

“Maybe there’s some closure we can bring to other families.”