COLUMBIA, S.C. — After seven years of searching, a family has found closure following the discovery of Tommy Brailey’s car submerged in a Sumter swamp with his remains inside.
On Monday, independent search and rescue divers located the vehicle in Rocky Bluff Swamp. By Thursday, the Sumter County Coroner’s Office had confirmed the remains as Brailey’s.
“They began to tell me what they saw when they discovered Tommy—his car, the tag,” said Sheila Brailey, Tommy’s sister. “As it was explained to me, my demeanor was okay. It was closure.”
Sheila sat beside Robin Colston, a family friend and Tommy’s former classmate, as the two reflected on the long journey.
Brailey went missing in August 2017 after he was last seen leaving the former Brewers Bar and Grill in Sumter. Despite efforts by the Sumter Police Department, leads in the case went cold, leaving his family to face years of unanswered questions.
For Sheila, the news brought a mix of emotions.
“It was peace. It was instant peace for me,” she said. “Although I was broken inside, peace and calmness came over me because for seven years—86 months—we were dealing with no answers and praying for one.”
The discovery of Brailey’s car and remains is credited to two local divers. Less than a week after the discovery, Sheila and Colston gathered at Sumter’s Light of Hope Memorial, a monument unveiled in 2021 to honor missing persons and offer solace to their loved ones.
“So even coming here today will give other family members hope that their loved ones can be found,” Colston said.
While the void left by Tommy’s bright and loving personality will never be filled, Sheila and Colston expressed deep gratitude for the bond they have formed through their shared love for him.
“I have stories, she has stories. We’re filling each other’s void of him, for him,” Sheila said, squeezing Colston’s hand.
The family is planning a funeral for Tommy soon. An autopsy of his remains is scheduled for Monday at MUSC Charleston, according to the Sumter County Coroner’s Office.