Overview
- The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation said Tuesday that skeletal remains found Dec. 29, 1977 near a Firestone plant in Wilson County have been identified as Cindy Marcell Blizzard, a 15-year-old who ran away from Monkton, Maryland in spring 1977.
- Investigators used advanced DNA extraction from a bone sample and genetic genealogy to trace potential relatives and confirm the match.
- The case was first reopened in 2010 by a state anthropologist and was re-reviewed by the SBI’s Cold Case team in 2024, which prompted the advanced testing that produced the identification.
- Authorities say the recovery circumstances raised the probability of foul play and are treating the matter as a homicide even though the medical examiner could not determine a cause of death.
- The SBI confirmed the identification with help from the FBI, Maryland state police and Raleigh police and is asking anyone with information to contact the SBI Cold Case Tip Line or the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office as investigators work to develop leads.