Body pulled from car in canal could be that of William Naylor

Coconut Creek man, 69, disappeared in February 2005

COCONUT CREEK, Fla. – A body that was found inside a car that was pulled from a canal in Coconut Creek could be that of a man who disappeared nine years ago.

The body was found inside a green Thunderbird that was pulled from the water Saturday.

Although the medical examiner has yet to make a positive identification of the victim, a woman who has been searching for William Naylor for years said she is certain it is him.

"In my heart I really do think it's him," Dinorah Perry said.

Perry is the head of Missing Children International Ministries. The nonprofit group has been assisting in the search for Naylor, who was last seen in February 2005, at the request of the family.

"Our goal is to find as many missing people as possible," Perry said.

Last week, divers narrowed their search to a canal near the 69-year-old man's Coconut Creek home.

"It hurts me because two years ago I could have stopped the pain of this family," Perry said. "So I cried, but I did try. I was out there two years ago all day sweeping every canal, and to know that I was just a couple of feet from this vehicle really bothers me."

Naylor suffered from a medical condition that may have led to his disappearance.


About the Author:

Terrell Forney joined Local 10 News in October 2005 as a general assignment reporter. He was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, but a desire to escape the harsh winters of the north brought him to South Florida.