Martin County authorities said the remains were recovered near the House of Refuge on Hutchinson Island as a missing-person investigation continued.
STUART, FL — A body was recovered Tuesday on Hutchinson Island near an area where authorities have been searching for an Oklahoma man who disappeared last week, but officials had not immediately confirmed whether the remains were his.
The Martin County Sheriff’s Office said the body was found Sept. 1 near the House of Refuge along Southeast MacArthur Boulevard. Sheriff’s spokesperson Christine Christofek told Treasure Coast Newspapers that the remains were discovered about 10 a.m. in mangroves on the west side of the roadway. Authorities were investigating whether the discovery was connected to the disappearance of Michael Anthony Debevec II.
Debevec, who was visiting Florida from Oklahoma, was last seen Aug. 26, according to the sheriff’s office. Deputies previously said he had gone to Chastain Beach, a stretch of shoreline on Hutchinson Island also known locally as “The Rocks.” His vehicle was later found near the beach, but there was no sign of him at the time.
The sheriff’s office issued a public appeal for information after Debevec’s family reported that they had not heard from him. Authorities described him as 5 feet, 7 inches tall with blue eyes. The agency also said during the search that Debevec may have been experiencing an emotional breakdown. Officials did not identify a cause for his disappearance.
The body recovered Tuesday was found north of Chastain Beach in the general vicinity of the House of Refuge, a historic site on the barrier island. Initial reports differed slightly on the precise circumstances of the recovery, with some describing the body as found near the beach and another account citing mangroves west of Southeast MacArthur Boulevard. The sheriff’s office confirmed that a body had been recovered in the area.
Authorities did not immediately release the dead person’s identity, cause of death or other details about the circumstances. They also had not publicly established a connection between the body and Debevec as of Tuesday afternoon. Identification of remains can require additional examination before law enforcement agencies notify relatives and make a formal announcement.
Debevec’s disappearance had prompted deputies to focus their search around the southern portion of Hutchinson Island after his vehicle was located near Chastain Beach. The beach sits near Bathtub Beach and south of the House of Refuge, placing Tuesday’s discovery within the broader coastal area where investigators had been looking for clues.
The sheriff’s office had asked anyone who had seen Debevec or had information about his whereabouts to contact investigators. No evidence of a crime or explanation for his disappearance had been announced in the public reports reviewed Tuesday.
The investigation remained active while authorities worked to identify the body and determine whether it was connected to the missing-person case. The sheriff’s office had not announced a positive identification or cause of death by the latest available reports.
Author note: Last updated September 1, 2026.