By John Q. Hosedrinker 
A fisherman using sonar on the Mississippi River in Minnesota discovered a submerged car, leading to the potential resolution of a nearly 60-year-old missing person case. Upon recovery of the 1960s-era Buick, investigators found human remains inside and identified the vehicle as belonging to Roy Benn, who vanished in 1967. The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office believes the remains are those of Benn, based on the car’s VIN and other evidence. The case has been handed over to the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, which has notified Benn’s family.
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Minnesota fisherman who found car may have solved 1967 cold case, and it really makes you think, doesn’t it? This whole situation, starting with a fisherman snagging something unexpected and ending up potentially closing a decades-old case, is a fascinating one, and it’s hard not to be drawn into the implications. The idea that something as mundane as a fishing trip could lead to a breakthrough in a missing persons investigation is quite remarkable.
It seems like a pretty clear point that a lot of missing persons cases involve vehicles submerged in bodies of water. This isn’t some elaborate conspiracy theory, but a stark reality. Whether it’s due to driver error, distractions, or hazardous conditions, it’s surprisingly easy to end up in a lake or river, especially in areas where there are many bodies of water. With the sheer number of lakes in a state like Minnesota, the odds of this happening are statistically higher. This highlights the need for more comprehensive searches, particularly in areas known for their waterways.
It also suggests that funding should be shifted to support these types of investigations. Considering the financial resources allocated to law enforcement, it’s a bit shocking that proper underwater searches aren’t more commonplace, especially given how often these cases result in solving older missing person’s cases. Think about it: specialized equipment like sonar, or even just trained dive teams, could potentially unlock countless cold cases and provide closure to families who have been waiting for answers for years.
The discovery of the car itself likely involved some standard fishing equipment, a depth finder, or maybe something more advanced like a side-scanning sonar. The technology isn’t prohibitively expensive, especially considering how many boats already have it. Many fishermen already use these tools to locate fish, so stumbling upon a submerged vehicle using the same equipment is not entirely unexpected. It underscores the serendipitous nature of some of these discoveries.
The cost of acquiring the kind of technology to perform such searches, when compared to the resources already allocated to law enforcement, seems almost negligible. It’s a matter of reallocating resources. Considering the potential for solving cold cases and providing closure to families, the investment seems worthwhile.
The conversation about the fisherman’s discovery highlights the importance of looking for these kinds of leads. The police get a lot of funding, but much of it is often directed toward showy equipment that is not very useful when investigating a missing person, or, as has also been mentioned, just ignoring the problem entirely. The amount of money spent on less useful activities could be shifted to something like diving teams.
This discussion about sonar use for fishing also points to a larger issue of environmental impact. If we’re already using technology to search for sunken vehicles, it might also reveal a lot of other objects, some of which shouldn’t be there at all. It will likely take a while to figure out how all these items ended up there, but it’s very likely that some are related to criminal activity.
The fact that this case has captured attention is a testament to the human need for closure and the often-overlooked role that simple actions can play in solving complex mysteries. It also raises questions about where we choose to invest our resources when it comes to law enforcement and the search for answers.