Human remains found this month in rural Cass County were identified as a 62-year-old man who went missing in 2018, Cass County Sheriff Tom Burch reported in a news release.
The Cass County Sheriff’s Office received a report June 7 that a survey crew located human remains in a heavily wooded area of Blind Lake Township in rural Cass County. Deputies responded and collected the human remains in a swampy and heavily wooded area. The remains were transported to the Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office for examination. The examiner’s office reported June 16 the remains were positively identified to belong to David Rickbeil, 62, of Ham Lake.
The sheriff’s office reported Rickbeil’s vehicle was located running July 13, 2018, unoccupied in the area. Over the next several days a missing person’s investigation was launched and extensive searches of the area were conducted by foot and all-terrain vehicle, by drone, air support and with the assistance of K-9s. The area is very rural, thickly wooded and swampy, the sheriff’s office reported.
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The investigation did not indicate any foul play was involved and officials said Rickbeil likely walked away from his vehicle.
