A Tamarac man reported missing over the weekend was found dead in the car that first responders found in a canal on Monday, according to the Broward Sheriff’s Office.
Rondell Edwards, 28, was reported missing on Jan. 6, BSO said in a media release. First responders got the call about the car in the canal in the area of North University Drive and Southgate Boulevard two days later, a little after noon Monday.
The person who called for help reported receiving a photo from someone of what looked like the car’s bumper in the water, according to radio transmissions archived by the streaming site Broadcastify.
Edwards’ partner, Anyssa, posted on Facebook on Jan. 6 that his phone was off and she hadn’t heard from him since 2 a.m.
“I have no way to contact him,” she wrote. “But I know he would’ve came home already. Or Atleast tried to contact me.”
Detectives say that Edwards drove off of Southgate Boulevard, through the grass swale and into the canal “for unknown reasons,” according to the release. The timing and circumstances of the crash remain under investigation.
BSO deputies, Tamarac Fire Rescue, Coral Springs Fire Rescue and Coral Springs Police all responded to the canal on Monday. BSO divers found Edwards’ car, a Toyota Highlander SUV, with him inside. Deputies then pulled the car and the driver’s body from the canal. They identified Edwards on Tuesday.
In the days leading up to the announcement, Anyssa posted about her search for Edwards on Facebook, saying that he was last in the area where the car was found and sharing missing fliers.
On Monday, she wrote that BSO had finally assigned her a detective.
“This can’t be real.. this can’t be happening to us,” Anyssa posted Tuesday morning. “You’re an amazing father and an amazing husband. I really can’t believe it. I love you so much I’m gonna Be strong for the girls.”
