Supermarket Loyalty Card Helps Florida Police Solve 12-Year Cold Case
FLORIDA — A decades-old mystery that haunted one family across continents has finally been solved, thanks to a supermarket loyalty card and the persistence of a retired detective from Central Florida.
The Ocoee Police Department has confirmed that the skeletal remains found near the Florida Turnpike in 2016 belong to Lloyd P. Williams, a Jamaican-born man who disappeared in 2013. The breakthrough came when officers used a Winn-Dixie loyalty card found near the remains to trace Williams’ identity — bringing closure to a case that had grown cold for more than 12 years.
Father Vanishes, Son Searches for Answers Across Two Countries
Williams was 89 years old at the time he vanished, and his son, Lancelot Williams, embarked on an emotional cross-border search that stretched from Jamaica to Central Florida, hoping to find even a sliver of information about what happened to his father.
Despite multiple attempts and pleas for help, the case remained unsolved for over a decade. That changed when retired detective Michelle Grogan reopened the case and pored over old evidence that had long been stored away. Among the few items found near the remains was a key ring — and a supermarket loyalty card.
Loyalty Card Clue Breaks the Case
The loyalty card turned out to be more than just a retail perk. As reported by ClickOrlando, it became the crucial link between the remains and the missing man. With advances in record tracing and identification technology, Grogan and her team were able to connect the loyalty card data to Lloyd P. Williams and confirm his identity.
Williams’ remains had been discovered near the Florida Turnpike years earlier in 2016, but no match had been made at the time. This latest development comes as a testament to both technological improvements in crime solving and the unrelenting determination of law enforcement.
Emotional Closure After Years of Silence
For Lancelot Williams, the news was both heartbreaking and relieving. After more than a decade of uncertainty, he now knows what happened to his father. While the cause of death has not been revealed publicly, the identification brings long-awaited closure to a family that had spent years in limbo.
The Ocoee Police have not indicated whether they suspect foul play, but the cold case division has officially closed the missing person investigation.
Other Cold Cases Solved Through Unlikely Clues
The case has drawn national attention as one of the rare examples where a grocery store loyalty card played a pivotal role in solving a long-standing mystery. It also highlights a growing trend in leveraging everyday technology for forensic breakthroughs — from credit card receipts to digital footprints.
Cases like this echo other recent examples in Illinois, where police have successfully used DNA genealogy tools and surveillance metadata to identify suspects and victims years after crimes occurred.
What’s Next for the Family and Police
While Williams’ remains will finally be laid to rest, the Ocoee Police Department says it hopes this story will inspire both law enforcement and families to revisit cold cases that may still have unresolved leads. As for Detective Grogan, her work on this case serves as a reminder that even after retirement, her dedication to justice hasn’t faded.
“It was something that always stuck with me. I just kept thinking — there has to be something more,” she told local media during the case reveal.
Have you or your family experienced a cold case mystery in Illinois or beyond? Share your story with us at ChicagoSuburbanFamily.com and help raise awareness about unsolved cases in your community.
