Remains Identified as Woman Missing Since 1985

Human remains found in a Florida canal in May 2024 have been identified as Rose Marie Gayhart, a woman who went missing in 1985 at the age of 23. The discovery was made by kayakers in a canal in northeastern Cape Coral, according to the Cape Coral Police Department. Through cooperation with a local medical examiner and a sheriff’s office in New York, investigators confirmed Gayhart’s identity using DNA samples from her family.

The case is now being treated as a homicide investigation. Cape Coral Police Chief Anthony Sizemore emphasized the department’s commitment to solving cases, regardless of how much time has passed. “Our investigations do not stop, and our pursuit of justice does not end,” he said. Chief Sizemore urged anyone with information to assist in bringing accountability and closure for Gayhart’s family.

Rose Marie Gayhart’s disappearance in 1985 was reported by her parents in Danville, New York. At the time of her disappearance, she lived and worked in the Cape Coral and North Fort Myers areas. Gayhart was last seen at the restaurant where she worked, identified by CBS affiliate WINK as formerly Big Howie’s Hot Dogs. She resided in a trailer park in North Fort Myers with her boyfriend and his mother.

Gayhart’s sister, Laurie Travis, spent decades seeking information about her sister’s fate. In a 2017 interview, Travis described her sister as “really happy” and recalled that Gayhart had invited her to Florida shortly before her disappearance. Travis expressed her belief that Gayhart was murdered, citing neighbors’ reports of frequent disturbances in the trailer park.