A submerged car has been found in the Mississippi River. This conclusion is a major advance in a long-frozen cold case, spanning several decades. Roy Benn’s vehicle, which disappeared in 1967, was found only recently. It will hopefully provide some sense of closure for his mourning family.
Roy Benn, then 59, disappeared in September of 1967. His disappearance was first reported to the Benton County Sheriff’s Office. Tim was a small business owner, operating an appliance repair service in nearby St. Cloud, Minnesota. He was last seen on September 25, when he withdrew $40,000 in cash. Benn drove a metallic blue 1963 four-door Buick Electra that has now resurfaced after more than a half century.
Over the weekend of August 9, recreational fisherman Brody Loch operated his own sonar device. To his horror, he spotted a car upside down in the river. Although it was filled to the brim with river silt and despite the roof collapsing from decades in the water, somehow the car held up.
Using the vehicle identification number (VIN), investigators definitively identified the vehicle and directly linked it to Benn. Sadly, human remains were found in the vehicle by authorities. They quickly started sending those recovered remains to a medical examiner’s office where they might be able to identify them.
Whether Benn’s disappearance was voluntary or not has been an unsolved question since 1975 when he was declared legally dead. This was nearly eight years after anyone had truly seen him last. His brother, Walter, who had actively collaborated with police during the entire investigation into Benn’s disappearance. The Benton County Sheriff’s Office has contacted Benn’s family to inform them of the car’s discovery. In addition, they announced the discovery of human remains.
Troy Heck, a former spokesperson for the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, Cemetery’s development gave him hope.
“We’re just grateful that we may likely have finally gotten the break that we needed to bring closure to this family.” – Troy Heck
Roy Benn’s car resurfacing provides a wealth of new information to his long-cold case. More importantly, it showcases the tireless work of law enforcement to find answers to decades-old mysteries. As investigators await results from the medical examiner, the community holds its breath for answers that may finally bring peace to Benn’s family after decades of uncertainty.