VERO BEACH — The body of an 86-year-old Vero Beach man found in a vehicle submerged in the Indian River Lagoon was <a href="https://veronews.com/2026/10/22/mans-body-found-in-vehicle-submerged-in-indian-river-lagoon-police-say/">identified as Robert Stewart</a>, according to police. Stewart was reported missing the night before his remains were discovered. Vero Beach police responded to reports of a man missing from his residence the night of Wednesday, Oct. 21 in the 200 block of Greytwig Road, north of the Vero Beach City Marina on the barrier island. The man - identified as Stewart - was last seen about 8 p.m. that night. Police said Stewart had driven a tan 2006 Honda CR-V to the Walmart Neighborhood Market, 1750 U.S. 1 in Vero Beach, but had not returned home, reports show. "He did purchase a few food items there," said Lt. Chris Roberts, a criminal investigations public information officer for the Vero Beach Police Department. Officers entered Stewart into the Florida Crime Information Center and National Crime Information Center as a missing person about 3 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 22. A maintenance worker called police about 9 a.m. notifying them there was a broken fence and tire marks on the edge of the seawall, leading into the Indian River Lagoon, reports show. The broken fence was in the same area where Stewart lived, according to police. Officers searched the Indian River Lagoon and saw what appeared to be a light-colored vehicle submerged in the water about 50 feet from where the fence was broken. The Indian River County Fire Rescue Dive Team spotted the SUV beneath the waters of the lagoon and discovered Stewart in the driver's seat without a seatbelt on, according to police. Fire rescue crews pronounced Stewart dead at the scene, reports show. Collision's Towing removed the vehicle from the water. Stewart was identified by his driver's license in his wallet, police said. Stewart's body was transported to the medical examiner's office. The incident remains under investigation. <em>Photos by Joshua Kodis</em> [gallery ids="237751,237752,237753"]