Parents Find Closure After Son's Remains Discovered a Decade Later

After a decade of uncertainty, Steven MacKrell's family has finally received answers about his disappearance.

 

In early October 2025, a private dive team located his submerged vehicle in a Boca Raton lake, with his remains inside.

 

Steven's parents, Astrid and Don MacKrell, expressed a mix of relief and sorrow upon receiving the news.

 

"We will finally bring him home," said Astrid, her voice heavy with emotion.

 

Steven was last seen on July 30, 2015, at a gas station in Pompano Beach.

 

Surveillance footage from that night showed him interacting with another individual before driving away in his white Ford Fusion.

 

Despite extensive searches, no leads emerged until the recent discovery.

 

The breakthrough came when Sunshine State Sonar, a private search and recovery group, identified Steven's car in a lake near Peninsula Corporate Circle.

 

The vehicle was retrieved, and the remains were confirmed to be Steven's by the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner's Office.

 

"Closure," Don remarked, reflecting on the end of their long wait.

 

Steven leaves behind a daughter, who was just a toddler when he vanished.

 

Now 11, she has been processing the news in her own way.

 

"She's been asking questions, looking online now that she's older," Astrid shared.

 

"Now she just doesn't want to talk about it, but I know it's going to hit later on—like all of us."

 

The family plans to hold a memorial service to honor Steven's life.

 

Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding his disappearance and how his vehicle ended up in the lake.

 

They urge anyone with information to come forward.

 

For the MacKrells, the discovery brings a bittersweet end to years of unanswered questions.

 

"I was always hoping he was gonna knock at the door, that police would find him somewhere," Astrid said.

 

"Now we can put an end to all this—10 years of suffering."