national
Human Remains Found in Florida Identified as Woman Missing Since 1985
Just the facts
Forensic laboratories confirmed that a human skull found by a kayaker in a Cape Coral canal in May 2024 belongs to Rose Marie Gayhart, a 23-year-old woman missing since March 1985. Gayhart had moved to Southwest Florida from Dansville, New York, three months prior to her disappearance and was last seen living with her boyfriend, Robert Paddock. Cape Coral Police Chief Anthony Sizemore stated that law enforcement agencies obtained family DNA profiles to verify the match after four decades. Following the identification, the Cape Coral Police Department reopened the cold case as an active murder inquiry.
Why this is news
Forensic DNA testing positively identified human remains recovered from a canal in Cape Coral, Florida, as 23-year-old Rose Marie Gayhart, who vanished in 1985. Cape Coral Police Chief Anthony Sizemore announced that the case has officially been reclassified as an active homicide investigation.
Sources
This summary is compiled strictly from the original reporting below.