Investigators suspect that the remains may belong to Gary Levin, a missing Lyft driver
On Saturday morning, human remains were discovered near Okeechobee, the location where a missing Lyft driver from Palm Beach Gardens was last seen on January 30. In addition to investigators and analysts from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Okeechobee County Sheriff's Office also arranged a media staging ground in front of the Agri-Civic Center. While an autopsy would help determine the man's identity, it has yet to be performed.
Neither FDLE nor Okeechobee County officials had updated the situation as of Sunday afternoon because they were still working to find out who those remains belong to. On February 9 the daughter of Gary Levin took to Facebook and asked for privacy while they process this tragedy but also shared that she would be announcing information on the where and when of the services for her father.
“My dad was truly a one-of-kind person, if you knew him or even met him once you know exactly what I mean when I say that. The stories I have received about him from friends, family and complete strangers over the last week have lifted me up more than you can ever realize.”
Lindsay DiBetta
About the human remains found in Palm Beach County
According to detectives, the remains discovered on Saturday may be those of a Lyft driver who went missing last week in Palm Beach County. County officials found the remains in a wooded area near a residential neighborhood in the city's northeastern quadrant. It's close to the area where missing Lyft driver, 74-year-old Gary Levin, was last seen on Monday.
Authorities in Okeechobee County have claimed that the medical examiner will determine the identity of the deceased and the cause of death as soon as Monday. However, they have not explained how they ended up there.
Who is suspected of being behind the Lyft driver's disappearance?
Matthew Flores has been charged with the second-degree murder of a Wauchula resident, according to a warrant issued by Central Florida law enforcement. The disappearance of Gary Levin, age 74, might lead to more accusations against him. Flores is currently detained in a North Carolina correctional facility for a probation violation related to narcotics and violence allegations from 2020.
The chief public defender in Rutherford County, who is representing Flores, thinks that prosecutors want to re-arrest the guy who, according to deputies, was seen on Thursday driving a car belonging to a missing Lyft driver. Flores will likely face some charges related to Lyft driver Gary Levin's disappearance. However, what those charges will be is out in the air at the moment.
What do you think? Did Matthew murder Gary and hide the body that officials have now uncovered? Or is there more to this story?
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