Detectives from Mount Dora spent Tuesday draining a four-acre retention pond in Deltona, sifting through the muck in a renewed push to find Nicole Baldwin, a 41-year-old mother who vanished in November 2023. Police say they are treating Baldwin’s disappearance as a homicide, and that newly developed leads sent them to the pond. Crews worked through the day and were expected to stay on scene through Thursday.
Pond Search Zeroes In On DeBary Avenue Site
According to a news release from the Mount Dora Police Department, investigators are "draining and sifting" a retention pond on DeBary Avenue between Enterprise Road and North Road, and any significant evidence recovered will be announced publicly, as reported by WKMG/ClickOrlando. Detectives say they developed the latest leads with help from partner law enforcement agencies, and that crews plan to remain at the scene for several days. Heavy machinery is being used to drain the pond while forensic teams painstakingly comb the exposed pond bed for anything that might move the case forward.
Years-Long Search, From Dive Teams To A Trained Otter
The Deltona operation is the newest turn in a long-running investigation that has already taken detectives across conservation lands and into multiple bodies of water with dive teams. At one point, investigators even deployed a specially trained Asian small-clawed otter to explore murky areas where they believed remains could be hidden. Earlier reporting details how the multi-agency effort has included the FDLE and the FBI, and explains how the otter signals spots where divers should focus their work, per FOX 35 Orlando. Authorities say that even when searches come up empty, those negative results help them narrow the map of where to look next.
Homicide Case Drives New Leads
Officials have previously confirmed that Baldwin’s disappearance is being handled as a homicide investigation and that her family was notified of that shift months ago, according to WFTV. Since then, investigators have searched multiple properties and waterways across Central Florida, following new tips and forensic clues as they come in. Police say they will release additional information, including details of any recovered evidence, and announce a press conference if the Deltona search produces a significant break.
Police Renew Call For Tips
Mount Dora police are again asking anyone with information to call (352) 735-7130. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crimeline at (800) 423-8477, according to the department’s news release reported by ClickOrlando. Investigators say the Deltona pond search is a targeted effort built on leads developed with partnering agencies, and they have pledged to keep the public updated on any significant developments. For now, detectives and evidence technicians remain at the drained pond, working methodically through the exposed basin.
Water Searches A Recurring Focus
Hoodline previously covered another multi-agency pond operation connected to the Mount Dora case last year, underscoring how water sites have remained a key focus for investigators; see this earlier pond sweep. Detectives say the Deltona search is aimed at following up on specific tips and forensic leads, and they will brief the public if the effort produces substantive evidence. Until then, they continue to urge anyone who might know something, even if it seems minor, to get in touch with investigators.
