Crime Stories with Nancy Grace - Minnesota Authorities Identify Remains Found in Submerged Car | Crime Alert 6AM 10.07.25

Episode Date: October 7, 2025

After nearly six decades, authorities in central Minnesota have confirmed the identity of human remains found in the Mississippi River as Roy George Benn, who went missing in 1967. Benn, then 59, was last seen at a café in Sartell early one September morning. He was reportedly carrying a large amount of cash, and his disappearance sparked a long-running investigation with no resolution—until now. On August 10, a fisherman using sonar near Sartell detected what appeared to be a submerged vehicle. Dive teams recovered a heavily deteriorated 1963 Buick Electra, registered to Benn, with human remains and personal items inside. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has confirmed the remains are Benn's.  The investigation into how Benn and his vehicle ended up in the river continues.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Crime Alert, I'm John Lemley. Authorities in Sartel, Minnesota, say a mystery that began more than half a century ago may finally be closer to a solution. Police now believe a car pulled from the Mississippi River, along with human remains found inside, are those of Roy Ben. Ben was last seen September 25, 1967. After breakfast at the King's End Supper Club, he entered his metallic blue 1963 Buick Electra and vanished. That mystery lingered for nearly 57 years until August 10th.

That's when an angler on the Mississippi near County Road 1 spotted what looked like a vehicle under the water and called police. The Stearns-Benton County Sheriff's Office dive team went in, confirmed the find, and days later freed the intact car from decades of sediment. Collins' brothers' towing brought it to the surface where it was towed to the Sartel Police Department. Investigators from Sartel Police, the Benton and Stearns County Sheriff's Departments, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension combed through the vehicle. Inside, they found remains and evidence linking the car and the body to Roy Ben. A press release says that connection came from the remains themselves, items inside the car and the vehicle's

Venn number. Officials also noted Ben was wearing a dark suit, a white French cuffed shirt and golden pearl cuff links. Back in 1967, Ben was a widower, the owner of an apartment building, and of St. Cloud Gas and Appliance Service. His family described him as financially secure with no debts and possibly carrying thousands of dollars the day he disappeared. Authorities say no one ever touched his bank accounts, credit cards, or the registration of his car in the decade since. Loved one said Ben was happy with no reason to walk away from his life. The remains are now with the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office for further investigation and formal identification. We turn to a sweeping crackdown on organized retail theft in California.

Authorities in Ventura County have dismantled what they called a major theft ring, responsible for stealing $10 million worth of merchandise from Home Depot, marking the retailer's largest theft case to date. The ringleader, David All, who owns ARIA wholesale, reportedly orchestrated more than 600 thefts across 71 Home Depot stores last year alone. He allegedly paid thieves in cash for high-end electrical items which were then resold online, including through eBay.

The 40-count criminal complaint names All, his ex-wife, and his brother-in-law, all facing prosecution. If convicted, all could face up to 32 years in prison. Authorities credited recent funding and new legislation allowing multi-county prosecutions for enabling the bust. Turning now to Los Angeles, a joint operation between the LAPD and the Sheriff's Office has apprehended a burglary ring responsible for nearly 100 break-ins throughout the region. In early morning raids, seven men aged between 22 and 47, were arrested. Three more suspects have since been added. Two men already facing attempted murder charges and another who surrendered.

That brings the total number of arrests to 10. Authorities seized stolen luxury items, firearms, narcotics, burglary tools, and communication devices. In a raid earlier this year, investigators had also uncovered fake IDs, credit cards, jewelry, and additional firearms. District Attorney Nathan Hockman vowed to pursue maximum penalties, emphasizing that close interagency cooperation and intelligence sharing proved pivotal in dismantling the network. A former sheriff's deputy in Georgia has been sentenced to 16 months in federal prison for using excessive force against a black detainee in a jailhouse beating caught on video. 27-year-old Ryan Beagle pleaded guilty earlier this year to violating the civil rights of Jared Hobbs, who had been booked into the Camden County Jail in Woodbine near the Georgia-Florida line September 3, 2022.

Federal prosecutors say security footage from that night showed Hobbs standing alone in his cell when five deputies entered. At least three, including Beagle, punched Hobbs repeatedly in the head and neck. He was then dragged into the hallway and slammed against a wall. Beagle was fired and arrested more than two months later after Hobbs' attorney released the jail video to the public. Two other deputies involved also faced state charges of battery and violating their oaths of office. Hobbs from Greensboro, North Carolina, initially faced felony charges stemming from the incident, but prosecutors later dropped them, citing insufficient evidence. Camden County later paid Hobbs an undisclosed cash settlement to avoid a civil lawsuit. So far, Beagle is the only one

to face federal prosecution. Thanks, John. For the latest, Crime Injustice News, go to crimeonline.com, and please join us for our daily podcast, Crime Stories, where we do our best to find missing people, especially children, and solve unsolved homicides. With this crime alert, I'm Nancy Grace. This is an I-Heart podcast.