US fisherman spots car in river; leads to break in missing persons cold case from 1967

Three days later, divers located the car in Sartell, Minnesota, and discovered human remains inside, according to Stearns County Sheriff Steve Soyka.

Investigators identified the vehicle as a 1963 metallic blue Buick Electra belonging to Roy George Benn, who was last seen in September 1967. The sheriff’s office confirmed that the vehicle’s identification number matched Benn’s car.

A fisherman thought he spotted a car in the Mississippi River. He may have just helped solve a cold case from 1967 https://t.co/yM9DArWo46

— Mark Parshall @markparshall (@MarkParshall) August 17, 2025

“Based on the human remains, items found in the car, and verification of the VIN number of the vehicle, the Sheriff’s Offices believe this to be Mr Benn,” officials said in a statement.

Benn, a businessman from Sauk Rapids, Minnesota, disappeared at the age of 59, shortly after being seen dining at King’s Supper Club north of Sartell. His wife had died the year before. He was declared legally dead in 1975 after years of unsuccessful searches.

Benton County Sheriff Troy Heck said his office had received tips over the years but none had led to answers. He said the remains have now been sent to a medical examiner for analysis.

“We believe there’s strong indication that this is going to be Roy Benn’s vehicle, and those are likely his remains,” Heck told CNN. “We’re just grateful that we may likely have finally gotten the break that we needed to bring closure to this family.”