Missing Woman Found Inside Her Septic Tank, Handyman Arrested: Police

Deputies in Martin County, Florida, believe the body of a missing Jensen Beach woman was found inside her own septic tank Saturday.

Deputies with the Martin County Sheriff’s Office worked from Friday night into Saturday morning excavating the backyard of 57-year-old Cynthia Cole in her home in Jensen Beach, Fox 8 reported. The deputies had been investigating the disappearance of Cole, who has been missing since February.

The deputies decided to excavate the backyard Friday after one of them noticed that the top of the septic tank looked out of place, WPBF reported. The deputy opened the tank, which was buried 4 feet underground, and saw a body inside.

Deputies pulled the woman's body out of the septic tank Saturday morning after spending the night digging.

"I've been doing this 40 plus years. I’ve never seen anything like it,” Martin County Sheriff William Snyder said.

A medical examiner has yet to confirm the body’s identity. However, deputies said they “have every reason to believe it is that of Ms. Cole,” according to Fox 8.

Police arrested 34-year-old handyman Keoki Hilo Demich shortly after finding the body in the tank.

Demich has been charged with second-degree murder for his alleged involvement in Cole's death.

Cole was last seen on Feb. 24 at the Jammin Jensen event. She went to the event with several friends, and nothing was out of the ordinary that night, according to detectives.

Demich, Cole's handyman over the last few years, was the only person detectives were suspicious of after Cole was reported missing.

"He made several statements that we know are false so he was charged with second-degree murder,” the sheriff said.

Ring cameras and security footage showed Demich exiting Cole's car near Demich's home the same night when the victim was last seen, Snyder said.

The sheriff also said there were other instances of cameras capturing Demich near Cole's car.

"We have video evidence of him walking that night that he would have dropped the car off there, and he said he never was near the car and then ultimately said he was driving the car," Snyder said. "So he really was a conglomerate of falsehoods."

The investigation into the case is ongoing. According to Snyder, investigators are collecting more evidence tied to the case, and Demich could face more charges.

The sheriff said there is evidence that shows Cole was likely murdered in her home before being put in the septic tank.