Remains found in 1977 in wooded area identified as 15-year-old girl missing for nearly 50 years

(Gray News) - Remains found nearly 50 years ago in North Carolina have been identified as a missing 15-year-old girl, according to authorities.

Cindy Marcell Blizzard has been identified as the person whose remains and clothing were found on Dec. 29, 1977, in a wooded area near the Firestone plant in Wilson, according to a press release.

Authorities said Blizzard had run away from her home in Monkton, Maryland, in the spring of that year.

When her remains were found, a medical examiner determined they belonged to a white woman who was about 16 to 23 years old. The SBI said it also appeared the remains had likely been at the site some time between six months and two years.

No match was found when comparing the dental records against missing persons cases, and her identity remained unknown for decades due to limited forensic tools.

The state reopened the case in 2010, but still no match came back.

In 2024, investigators were able to develop a DNA profile that could be used for forensic genetic genealogy. After submitting the profile to a genealogy service to find potential relatives, they were able to identify the remains as Blizzard.

Although the medical examiner classified her death as undetermined, the location and recovery of the remains raised questions about foul play, and the case was treated as a homicide.

Her death remains unsolved.