STEARNS COUNTY – TRF News – A decades-old mystery in Sartell, Minnesota, may be closer to being solved after a car with human remains was pulled from the Mississippi River this week.
The discovery began when a fisherman spotted what appeared to be a vehicle on his sonar. A dive team was deployed, and on Wednesday, crews recovered a 1960s Buick sedan from the river near Riverside Avenue.
According to Sartell Police, the vehicle was intact but severely deteriorated after decades underwater and was filled with river sediment. Human remains were found inside, and investigators believe they could be connected to a 1967 unsolved missing person case.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is processing the vehicle, and the remains have been sent to the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office to confirm identity and cause of death.
Authorities are examining whether the car could be linked to Roy Ben, who went missing in September 1967. At the time, Ben was driving a 1963 Buick Electra and was reportedly carrying a large sum of money. He was never found.
While investigators have not yet confirmed the connection, the similarities between the recovered vehicle and Ben’s car are striking. Officials caution that more testing and forensic work will be needed before making any official identification.
Police say further updates will be provided as the investigation develops.
For more information on cold case investigations, visit the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs).
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.
