Body Found in NC in 1977 IDed as Missing Maryland Teen

A body found in the North Carolina woods nearly half a century ago now has a name, the Guardian reports. Authorities say skeletal remains found near a Wilson tire plant in December 1977 belong to 15-year-old Cindy Marcell Blizzard, who ran away from her Maryland home that spring, NBC News reports. A medical examiner initially concluded the remains were those of a white woman in her late teens or early 20s and listed the cause of death as undetermined, though investigators suspect foul play and are treating the case as a homicide. The medical examiner concluded the victim had been dead at least six months when her remains were found, ABC News reports.

Early efforts using dental records and later DNA testing failed. A renewed cold-case review, advanced DNA analysis of a bone sample, and genealogical work finally led to Blizzard's identification. Her death remains unsolved, and investigators are appealing for new information.