Remains Found on Eglin Property Identified as DeFuniak Springs Man Missing Since 2015
WALTON COUNTY, Fla. — A decade-long mystery in Walton County is one step closer to being solved. Skeletal remains discovered late last year on Eglin Air Force Base property have been positively identified as John Thomas “JT” Watson, a DeFuniak Springs man who vanished in the summer of 2015.
The human remains were found on November 24, 2025, near Forest Oak Road on Eglin property. According to the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, investigators also located a set of keys belonging to a Ford Mustang near the remains, though no weapons were found at the scene.
Through DNA analysis conducted in partnership with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and DNA Labs International, authorities officially confirmed the remains belonged to Watson, bringing a measure of closure to his family after more than ten years of waiting.
Watson, who was 38 at the time of his disappearance, had been working to rebuild his life after being released from prison on July 1, 2015. He was splitting his time between family members’ homes and local motels in DeFuniak Springs. In August of that year, he purchased two used vehicles: a Ford Mustang and a Mitsubishi Mirage.
Watson was last seen alive on Friday, August 7, 2015, driving the Mirage in DeFuniak Springs.
A little over two months later, on October 18, 2015, the Mirage was discovered abandoned with the keys still inside. The vehicle was parked in a heavily wooded section of Eglin property between Coy Burgess Loop and Nelson Road. The discovery prompted the Walton County Sheriff’s Office and partnering agencies to launch extensive searches of the area. Over the years, investigators pursued and exhausted all possible leads and tips, but Watson’s whereabouts remained a mystery until last November’s discovery.
The District 1 Medical Examiner’s Office and the Legacy K9 Search Team assisted in the recent recovery and investigation efforts.
While the positive identification provides crucial answers, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office notes that the case is far from closed. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding Watson’s disappearance and death remains highly active.
Authorities are urging anyone with information that could aid the ongoing investigation to contact the Walton County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 892-8111. Those wishing to remain anonymous can submit tips to Emerald Coast Crime Stoppers by calling (850) 863-TIPS.
