Remains found by kayakers in Florida identified as woman who vanished in 1985 as police seek killer - CBS News

Human remains discovered in a Florida canal two years ago have been identified as those of a woman who mysteriously disappeared in 1985 police said.Kayakers happened upon the remains in May 2024 in a canal in northeastern Cape Coral, according to the Cape Coral Police Department. Investigators were able to confirm the remains belonged to Rose Marie Gayhart, who disappeared at age 23, in May of this year, the police department said. Its violent crimes unit worked with a local medical examiner's office and a sheriff's office in New York, where Gayhart was originally from, in order to determine the identity of the remains, which they ultimately confirmed using DNA samples provided by her family members.Police said Gayhart's death is now under investigation as a homicide."While this identification brings long-awaited answers, it also strengthens our resolve," Cape Coral Police Chief Anthony Sizemore said in a statement.