Two years ago, human remains were discovered in a Florida canal, and they have now been identified as belonging to Rose Marie Gayhart, who vanished mysteriously in 1985 at the age of 23. The discovery was made by kayakers in May 2024 in a canal in northeastern Cape Coral, as confirmed by the Cape Coral Police Department.
The investigation into Gayhart’s disappearance was a collaborative effort involving the Cape Coral Police Department’s violent crimes unit, a local medical examiner’s office, and a sheriff’s office in New York, where Gayhart originally hailed from. The identification of the remains was confirmed this May through DNA samples provided by her family.
Gayhart’s case is now being investigated as a homicide. Cape Coral Police Chief Anthony Sizemore addressed the significance of this development in a statement, noting, “While this identification brings long-awaited answers, it also strengthens our resolve. No matter how much time passes, even after four decades, our investigations do not stop, and our pursuit of justice does not end.” He emphasized the need for any leads to be reported to the police to bring closure to Gayhart’s family.
Gayhart was reported missing by her parents from Danville, New York, in 1985. At the time of her disappearance, she had been living and working in the Cape Coral and North Fort Myers area. Reports indicate that she was last seen at Big Howie’s Hot Dogs, a local restaurant where she worked. She resided in a trailer park in North Fort Myers with her boyfriend and his mother.
Her sister, Laurie Travis, who had searched for answers regarding her sister’s fate for decades, shared her thoughts in a 2017 interview. “It doesn’t get better, we just get through it,” Travis said, recalling how Gayhart “was really happy” and had invited her to visit in Florida two weeks before she disappeared.
Travis expressed her belief that Gayhart was murdered, citing neighbors’ observations during the investigation. She mentioned there was frequent “crashing and banging and fighting” at the trailer park where Gayhart lived.