Decades after her disappearance, new technology helps Bay County solve a heartbreaking puzzle, connecting a 1980 discovery to a nationwide search and bringing closure to a devastated Texas family.
After 45 years, a cold case that has haunted Florida has finally been closed, bringing a measure of peace to a family tormented by uncertainty.
Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford announced Friday that advanced forensic technology, coupled with the unwavering dedication of the Bay County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) Cold Case and Crime Scene Units, has led to the identification of skeletal remains found in 1980 as Carol Sue Skidmore, a woman missing since 1977.
The revelation not only identifies Ms. Skidmore but also unspools a tragic narrative involving the suspected murders of her and her young son, followed by her husband’s apparent suicide. The grim discovery in Bay County now appears to be the final piece of a devastating puzzle that began to unfold over four decades ago across multiple states.
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In 1980, three hunters stumbled upon skeletal remains in a shallow grave about half a mile west of Hwy. 231, north of Fountain. Initially, investigators considered the possibility that the remains belonged to JoAnn Benner, a local woman who vanished in 1976. However, examinations at the FSU Anthropology lab ruled out Benner due to differing injuries, leaving the identity of the woman a perplexing mystery. Foul play was suspected from the outset due to damage to clothing found with the remains.
The breakthrough came as the BCSO Cold Case Unit, a team comprising retired and active investigators, revisited the JoAnn Benner case. Their review led them back to the unidentified skeletal remains, prompting a collaboration with the Crime Scene Unit to leverage modern forensic tools unavailable in 1980.
A tooth from the remains was submitted to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) for DNA profiling. The resulting profile, entered into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), yielded two critical matches. These matches were with two individuals in Texas who had previously provided DNA in connection with their missing sister. The Center for Human Identification then conducted a kinship analysis, definitively confirming that the remains were indeed those of Carol Sue Skidmore, who had been missing since 1977.
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The tragic sequence of events surrounding Carol Skidmore’s disappearance began in March of 1977. Carol, her husband James Ronald Skidmore, and their 5-year-old son, Lynn Dale Mahaffy, departed their home in Sealy, Texas, for Rossville, Georgia, intending to mend their marriage. They were last heard from on April 9, 1977, when Carol contacted her parents, unsure of their return date.
The unraveling of this family’s fate started in May 1977, when a child’s body, wrapped in plastic and weighted down, was found in Parksville Lake, Tennessee. The FBI confirmed in June 1977 that the victim was Lynn Dale Mahaffy, Carol Skidmore’s son, a tragic victim of homicide.
Just days later, on June 1, 1977, James Ronald Skidmore was discovered dead in a hotel room in Harrison, Arkansas, a victim of a drug overdose and apparent suicide. A suicide note found with his body eerily stated, “things weren’t working out for him.” Authorities launched a search for his wife, Carol, but she remained elusive and was subsequently listed as missing.
Investigators now believe that James Ronald Skidmore was responsible for the deaths of both Carol Skidmore, whose body he is suspected of burying in Bay County, and their son Lynn, whose remains he allegedly left in a Tennessee lake, before taking his own life.
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While one of Carol Skidmore’s siblings has passed away, her surviving brother has expressed profound gratitude for the news, finally receiving closure after decades of agonizing uncertainty about his sister’s fate.
Sheriff Tommy Ford emphasized the unwavering commitment of his department. “We will never stop seeking justice for victims of crime, no matter how much time may have passed,” said Sheriff Ford. “I am so proud of our Cold Case and Crime Scene Units for their determination to find the truth and bring closure to this family.”
The BCSO Cold Case Unit and Crime Scene Unit are continuing their vital work, utilizing ancestral DNA to identify several other sets of human remains discovered in Bay County. Furthermore, the long-standing JoAnn Benner case has seen new developments and has been turned over to the State Attorney’s Office for review and potential prosecution, demonstrating the ongoing impact of these dedicated investigative efforts.
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