Remains Found in Lake Identified as Dad of 4 Who Was Reported Missing Over 20 Years Ago on Christmas Eve

Remains of Connecticut Father Missing Since 2004 Found in Submerged Truck

The remains of a Connecticut father who vanished on Christmas Eve 2004 have been identified after being discovered in a lake more than two decades later.

Troopers were called to Mansfield Hollow Lake shortly after 2:30 p.m. local time on Oct. 5, after the Mansfield Fire Department spotted human remains floating in the water, according to a news release from Connecticut State Police (CSP).

Following the initial discovery, an expanded search was launched. Divers from the Emergency Services Unit (ESU) located additional human remains inside a submerged vehicle, which was recovered from the lake the next day.

The vehicle — a 1996 Mazda B2300 pickup truck — was later confirmed to belong to Robert Cavanaugh, who had been reported missing on Dec. 24, 2004.

On Nov. 13, the medical examiner’s office notified the Eastern District Major Crime Squad that DNA from the remains found in the truck had been positively matched to Cavanaugh. Investigators also found multiple personal items inside the pickup that helped confirm his identity.

Robert Cavanaugh, born Jan. 3, 1953, was a father of four who worked as both a long-haul truck driver and a Connecticut prison guard, his daughter Diana Cavanagh told CT Insider. He had long aspired to work in law enforcement and began his job with the state Department of Correction in 1999.

Diana, a retired federal agent, said her father “definitely struggled with mental illness toward the end” of his life. She added that being open about his experience has been important for their family and emphasized the need for mental health support and resources.

According to police, Cavanaugh was believed to have left behind a suicide note at the time he disappeared.

Diana also praised state police and the medical examiner’s office for their work on the case, saying their efforts and communication with the family were “phenomenal.”

A funeral service for Cavanaugh will be held privately, his daughter said.