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Roy Benn Case Closed After Medical Examiner Rules 1967 River Crash Accidental

A sonar discovery in the Mississippi River surfaced Benn's 1963 Buick, enabling DNA identification nearly six decades after he vanished.

Overview

  • In a Wednesday update, the Benton County Sheriff's Office said the medical examiner found Benn died from a single motor vehicle crash with water submersion.
  • There is no evidence of foul play, his death is being ruled accidental, and authorities have closed the investigation.
  • A fisherman reported a sonar anomaly that led responders to recover a 1963 Buick Electra from the Mississippi River near Riverside Avenue in Sartell on Aug. 10, 2025.
  • On Sept. 4, the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed through DNA testing that the recovered remains were those of Roy Benn.
  • Benn was 59 when he was last seen around 4 a.m. on Sept. 25, 1967, in a Sartell café, and the sheriff's office issued thanks to assisting agencies in a press release.