Identification of Remains Solves 40-Year-Old Mystery

Recent discoveries have solved the mystery surrounding a woman who disappeared over 40 years ago in Florida. Her remains, uncovered by a kayaker, belong to 23-year-old Rose Marie Gayhart, missing since March 1985.

Gayhart, originally from Dansville, New York, was last seen in the Cape Coral and North Fort Myers area, according to police. She had been living there for three months before she vanished. She had moved in with her boyfriend, Robert Paddock, and his mother.

The Cape Coral Police Department, assisted by Crime Stoppers, reported her family lost contact when her letters and phone calls suddenly stopped. They suspected something was amiss, especially considering the couple’s reportedly tumultuous relationship.

Witness accounts indicate that Gayhart was last seen walking with a suitcase after being expelled from the trailer she shared with Paddock. She reportedly told a neighbor she was pregnant and intended to keep the baby, despite her boyfriend’s opposition.

On the night of her disappearance, neighbors reported loud arguments and sounds of destruction coming from the trailer. At the time, Gayhart worked at Howie’s Hot Dogs, but she did not return home after reportedly leaving with a man in a red pickup truck.

Authorities received tips about a white male seen with her, believed to be key in solving the case.

Recent Developments

In May 2024, a kayaker discovered a human skull in a canal in northeast Cape Coral. After two years of DNA testing, in collaboration with New York law enforcement, Florida authorities confirmed the remains belonged to Gayhart.

For more than 40 years, Rose Marie Gayhart’s family has carried the weight of not knowing what happened to her, said Police Chief Anthony Sizemore.

The identification answers long-standing questions for her family and launches a homicide investigation. Police urge the public to provide any information that might resolve the case and offer closure to Gayhart’s family.

Call for Public Assistance

Chief Sizemore has appealed to those with knowledge of the case to come forward. He emphasized that their investigation will continue until justice is served.