Human remains ID'd as Minn. woman who vanished in 1985
MINNEAPOLIS -- Authorities say human remains found in a state park in northeastern Minnesota are those of a Minneapolis woman who disappeared 30 years ago.
Authorities say Cassandra Rhines was killed, and they are investigating her death as a homicide.
Rhines was 19 when she went missing in June 1985. She called a friend to confirm she would attend her goddaughter's birthday party the next day in Minneapolis, but never showed up and hadn't been heard from since, reports the Duluth News Tribune.
Her remains were found last May in Gooseberry Falls State Park in Lake County by an off-duty member of the county's sheriff's office who was training his dogs, reports the paper. The remains were identified through DNA.
Investigators believe Rhines worked as an exotic dancer and may have been involved in prostitution. She also may have been living with a man. Authorities are seeking the public's help in identifying that man to see if he knows what happened.
Investigators think Rhines was killed elsewhere, and her body was dumped in the park, reports the News Tribune.
Anyone with information about Rhines is asked to contact the Lake County Sheriff's Office or the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.