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Family says body found in submerged car is their brother who has been missing for 2 years

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Family members say their worst fears are confirmed.

They tell Action News James Wilson’s car was pulled out of the river Thursday with him inside. Wilson disappeared in January 2013. Wilson's sister tells Action News police told her the car found submerged was her brother's. The car was found Thursday morning and pulled out covered in mud.

Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Sgt. T.K. Waters said they got the call around 8 a.m. Thursday when a fisherman spotted oil in the Ribault River. The marine unit originally pulled the car out and it was towed away, but then brought back.

“Initially they couldn't tell something was in it. When they found something, they brought it back,” said Waters.

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Waters said investigators talk with missing persons detectives in cases like this. We checked our archives and came across Wilson, who was last seen in January 2013. He was driving a car matching the description of the one pulled out of the water Thursday.

“It looks like a Buick,” said Waters.

Action News called Wilson's family, who confirmed to us it is their missing loved one. Waters said right now JSO is still looking into the circumstances of the case.

“We can't tell at this point what happened,” said Waters.

We've also reached out to JSO to confirm the details family members gave us and are still waiting to hear back.

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