Human remains found in North Carolina in December 1977 have been identified as Cindy Marcell Blizzard, a 15-year-old girl who went missing from Maryland in the spring of that year. Authorities are investigating the case as a homicide.
The skeletal remains were discovered in a wooded area in Wilson County, North Carolina, more than six months after Blizzard disappeared. The location was approximately five hours south of her home in Monkton, Maryland.
At the time of the discovery, a medical examiner determined the remains belonged to a white female between 16 and 23 years old and had likely been there for six months to two years. However, advancements in forensic technology were insufficient for identification, and the case went cold.
Investigators pursued leads for years, comparing dental records against missing persons databases without success. The case was re-examined in 2010 when a state anthropologist submitted the remains for DNA testing. The investigation gained new momentum in 2024 when the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation's Cold Case Investigative Team utilized modern forensic tools.
Forensic scientists extracted genetic material from a bone sample, and a genealogy service used the DNA profile to identify potential relatives. This process eventually pointed investigators toward Blizzard, who had run away from home in 1977. The identification was confirmed with assistance from the FBI, the Maryland Department of State Police Homicide Unit, and the Raleigh Police Department's Intel Unit.
While the manner of death remains undetermined, the circumstances surrounding the recovery of the remains suggest foul play, leading investigators to treat the case as a homicide. Authorities are continuing to seek information about Blizzard's death.