Human remains found in Isanti Co. in 2003 ID'd as man missing since 1970

The Isanti County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday they have identified human skeletal remains found buried in the area in 2003.

CAMBRIDGE, Minn. (FOX 9) - The Isanti County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday they have identified human skeletal remains found buried in the area in 2003.

The remains were confirmed to be those of Donald Rindhal, a Ramsey County man went missing in the 1970s, the sheriff’s office said. Investigators believe his body was buried in Bradford Township in late 1970 or early 1971, when he was 22 years old.

The remains were discovered in August 2003 by a landowner who was doing an excavation project.

Chief Deputy Lisa Lovering said over several years, investigators submitted DNA samples of several people who believed the remains possibly belonged to a relative of theirs, but no matches were confirmed.

Human remains found buried in rural Isanti County in 2003 believed to be man missing since 1970

The Isanti County Sheriff's Office announced Monday they have identified human skeletal remains found buried in Bradford Township in 2003 as a man who went missing in 1970.

Lovering said in 2019, she started the process of using current DNA technology to identify the remains.

In 2021, the sheriff’s office submitted the DNA to Othram, a Texas-based lab. Within 24 hours, there was a possible match.

Investigators contacted two siblings to submit DNA. The remains were eventually confirmed as Rindahl.

The sheriff’s office is asking anyone with information on the case to contact them or Crime Stoppers of Minnesota.