A decade-old cold case has moved closer to closure after skeletal remains found on Eglin Air Force Base property were positively identified as a missing DeFuniak Springs man, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office announced.
- The remains were identified as John Thomas “JT” Watson, who was 38 when he disappeared in August 2015.
Watson was released from prison on July 1, 2015, and had been staying with family and occasionally at local motels in DeFuniak Springs as he worked to rebuild his life, according to the sheriff’s office. In August 2015, he purchased two used vehicles, a Ford Mustang and a Mitsubishi Mirage.
He was last seen driving the Mirage in DeFuniak Springs on Friday, Aug. 7, 2015. The vehicle was later found abandoned on Oct. 18, 2015, on a wooded section of Eglin property between Coy Burgess Loop and Nelson Road. The keys were still inside. The Mirage was photographed, towed and taken into evidence.
Following Watson’s disappearance, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office and partner agencies conducted extensive searches across the area and pursued every lead and tip submitted to the agency, according to the sheriff’s office.
On Nov. 24, 2025, human remains were discovered near Forest Oak Road on Eglin Air Force Base property. A set of keys belonging to the Ford Mustang was also found near the skeletal remains. No weapons were located.
- The remains were positively identified as Watson through DNA analysis, with support from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and DNA Labs International.
The sheriff’s office credited the District 1 Medical Examiner’s Office and Legacy K9 Search Team for their assistance throughout the investigation.
The investigation remains active. Anyone with information is asked to call the Walton County Sheriff’s Office at 850-892-8111. Tipsters who wish to remain anonymous can contact Emerald Coast Crime Stoppers at 850-863-TIPS.
