Fisherman Accidentally Solves 60-Year-Old Mystery After Spotting Submerged Car in Mississippi River
A quiet day of fishing on the Mississippi River in Minnesota turned into a historic discovery when a fisherman stumbled upon a submerged car, helping authorities crack a nearly 60-year-old missing person case.
The Discovery
The fisherman, Brody Loch, told Minneapolis station WCCO that while using a sonar device on August 9, he spotted what looked like a sunken vehicle. Sensing something unusual, he immediately alerted authorities.
By the following Wednesday, divers from the Stearns County sheriff’s office and a tow truck crew retrieved the vehicle from the river in Sartell. Inside the car, investigators uncovered human remains, according to Sheriff Steve Soyka’s office.
Linking the Car to a 1967 Disappearance
Through the vehicle’s VIN number, investigators confirmed the car was a 1963 metallic blue Buick Electra owned by Roy Benn, a 59-year-old businessman who was reported missing in September 1967.
At the time, Benn had been last seen carrying a large sum of money, according to a Minnesota public safety bulletin. He was driving the very car found underwater — which now had been “filled with river sediment” and was “severely deteriorated”, though still intact after decades.
A Case Cold for Decades
Benn owned an appliance repair service in St. Cloud when he vanished. Local reports from the St. Cloud Daily Times noted that his wife had died just a year earlier, adding to the tragedy.
His brother, Walter Benn, worked closely with investigators during the initial search. But despite efforts, no solid leads emerged. By 1968, Walter auctioned off Roy’s belongings, and in 1975, Roy was declared legally dead.
A Breakthrough for the Family
Now, decades later, investigators believe the remains are likely Benn’s, though they have been sent to the medical examiner’s office for confirmation. Authorities also reached out to Benn’s surviving family, who had earlier provided DNA samples.
Benton County Sheriff Troy Heck expressed relief, telling CNN:
“We’re just grateful that we may finally have the break we needed to bring closure to this family.”
A Stroke of Luck
Reflecting on his role in the discovery, Loch said it all came down to fate.
“It was 100% luck,” he admitted. “If my friend and I had floated by just a little differently, we might never have seen it on the sonar.”
The Long-Buried Truth
For nearly six decades, Roy Benn’s disappearance was a haunting mystery. Thanks to one fisherman’s chance discovery, authorities are now closer than ever to giving Benn’s family the answers they’ve been waiting for.