Authorities have announced a major development in a long-standing cold case, identifying human remains discovered nearly 49 years ago in North Carolina as those of a 15-year-old runaway girl who disappeared from Maryland. Cindy Marcell Blizzard’s skeletal remains were found more than six months after she went missing in the spring of 1977, according to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI).
The manner of death remains undetermined; however, the case is being investigated as a homicide due to the circumstances surrounding the discovery. The remains were located in a wooded area near a Wilson County manufacturing facility approximately five hours from Blizzard’s home. The SBI noted that the conditions of the location and recovery of the remains suggest foul play, prompting investigators to treat the case as a homicide.
Identification and Circumstances
The remains and clothing were found on December 29, 1977, near a Firestone plant that produces vehicle tires. A medical examiner concluded the remains had likely been there for six months to two years and belonged to a white female aged between 16 and 23.
For years, the case remained unresolved because forensic technology at the time could not identify the remains. Investigators repeatedly compared dental records against missing persons cases, but without success.
The case resurfaced in 2010 when a state anthropologist submitted the remains for DNA testing and cross-referenced results with federal databases. Despite efforts, the case gained traction only in 2024 when the SBI’s Cold Case Investigative Team applied new forensic tools unavailable in 1977.
Advancements in Forensic Technology
Upon qualifying for advanced DNA testing, forensic scientists extracted genetic material from a bone sample. A genealogy service utilized this profile to trace potential relatives, which led investigators to Blizzard, a 15-year-old girl who had run away from Monkton, Maryland, in the spring of 1977.
The identification process involved collaboration with the FBI’s NCIC Investigation and Operational Assistance Group, the Maryland Department of State Police Homicide Unit, and Raleigh Police Department’s Intel Unit.
Investigators continue to pursue leads to uncover answers surrounding Blizzard’s death, with ongoing efforts to resolve this tragic mystery.