Wilson County, N.C. – The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) announced Tuesday that forensic scientists have positively identified skeletal remains discovered in a wooded area near the Firestone plant on Dec. 29, 1977. The remains belong to Cindy Marcell Blizzard, a 15‑year‑old who ran away from Monkton, Maryland, in the spring of 1977 and was missing for more than 49 years.
Cold case breakthrough
When the remains were first recovered, the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office and the SBI began a standard investigation. The state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined the bones were those of a white female between 16 and 23 years old and estimated the body had been in the woods for six months to two years. No cause of death could be established, and investigators treated the case as a homicide based on the location of the find.
For decades, investigators attempted to match the remains to missing‑person reports using dental records, but no match was found. The forensic tools available at the time were insufficient, and the case went cold.
New technology solves the mystery
In 2024, SBI Cold Case Special Investigator Andy Murr revisited the file with modern forensic methods that did not exist in 1977. A bone sample was sent for advanced DNA testing, allowing the lab to employ genetic genealogy – a technique that searches DNA databases for potential relatives. The genealogical search eventually pointed investigators toward Blizzard.
Collaboration among the North Carolina and Maryland law‑enforcement agencies, as well as the FBI, confirmed the identification. While the identification provides closure for Blizzard’s family, the circumstances of her death remain unsolved, and investigators continue to seek answers.
How the public can help
The SBI is urging anyone with information about Cindy Marcell Blizzard’s disappearance or death to contact the Cold Case Tip Line at 919‑582‑TIPS, email [email protected], or reach out to the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office at 252‑237‑2118.
This breakthrough underscores the value of investing in modern forensic science and the dedication of cold‑case investigators who work tirelessly to bring long‑overdue answers to families across the state.
Original reporting: WRAL Raleigh — read the source article.
