Minivan of Melbourne Woman Missing Since 2014 Found in Retention Pond Near Her Home, DNA Confirmed Remains

was last seen leaving her home to run an errand, telling her children she was heading to the store

BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – The vehicle of Katya Belaya, a Melbourne woman missing since September 2014, has been discovered in a retention pond just over a mile from her home.

Authorities have confirmed that human remains found inside the vehicle belong to Belaya, who vanished nearly a decade ago.

Belaya, a mother of two, was last seen leaving her home to run an errand, telling her children she was heading to the store. She never arrived.

Investigators had few leads for years until Dec. 19, 2024, when the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office shared new information with Sunshine State Sonar, a nonprofit organization specializing in underwater searches.

The team located Belaya’s minivan submerged in a pond on Dec. 20, 2024.

“We received additional information on that case that was not posted online — cellphone ping data from that evening — and that is ultimately what led us to that particular area where we located that vehicle,” said Mike Sullivan of Sunshine State Sonar.

DNA testing confirmed that the remains recovered from the van were those of Katya Belaya.

Authorities are now investigating how the vehicle ended up in the retention pond and whether foul play may have been involved.

The case remains under investigation, stay tuned to Space Coast Daily for updates.

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