The human remains found in a car submerged in the Mississippi River near Sartell last month have been positively identified as a man missing since 1967.
The Benton County Sheriff’s Office announced Friday that the remains are that of Roy George Benn, who was 59 at the time he disappeared on Sept. 25, 1967, having last been seen around 4 a.m. at a cafe in Sartell.
His disappearance sparked “interviews, searches, and other investigative steps” over several years in an attempt to find him, the sheriff’s office said, but the trail ran cold until Aug. 10, when a boater using radar recognized something they believed to be a submerged vehicle.
A 1963 Buick Electra with remains inside was pulled from the water three days later, which authorities confirmed was registered to Benn, and several items belonging to Benn were found inside, along with the human remains.
The Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed this week that the remains were indeed Benn, with the investigation continuing into Benn’s cause and manner of death.
