Remains found 49 years ago in North Carolina identified as 15-year-old girl from Maryland
Advanced DNA testing and genetic genealogy linked the remains to a 15-year-old runaway, but investigators said the death remains unsolved.
- On Tuesday, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation identified skeletal remains found in 1977 as Cindy Marcell Blizzard, a 15-year-old runaway who vanished from Monkton, Maryland, nearly 49 years ago.
- Authorities discovered the remains and clothing on December 29, 1977, in a wooded area near the Firestone plant in Wilson County, where a medical examiner estimated the victim was between approximately 16 and 23 years old.
- In 2024, SBI Special Investigator Andy Murr reopened the case using advanced DNA testing and forensic genetic genealogy to trace potential relatives, providing the breakthrough that eluded investigators for more than 49 years.
- Although investigators confirmed Blizzard's identity, the manner of death remains undetermined, and the case continues to be treated as a homicide based on discovery circumstances.
- The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the Wilson County Sheriff's Office are seeking public assistance; anyone with information about the 1977 case can call the Cold Case Tip Line at 919-582-TIPS.
42 Articles
42 Articles
Cold case takes grim turn after remains identified as runaway teen; homicide investigation underway
Advanced DNA testing and genetic genealogy identified remains found near a North Carolina manufacturing facility as those of a Maryland teen who vanished in 1977.
Skeletal Remains Found in Woods Identified as Missing 15-Year-Old Girl Nearly 50 Years Later
Skeletal remains found in the woods near a North Carolina tire factory nearly 50 years ago have been identified as a 15-year-old Maryland girl who vanished in 1977. The remains discovered by the Firestone plant in Wilson on December 29, 1977, belong to Cindy Marcell Blizzard, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation announced on […]
After nearly 49 years, remains found in Wilson County identified
WILSON COUNTY — On Dec. 29, 1977, skeletal remains and clothing were found in a wooded area near the Firestone plant at 3001 Firestone Parkway in Wilson. The Wilson County Sheriff's Office and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation…
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