Iron Range Murder Remains Unsolved 40 Years Later

$50,000 Award Offered for Information

AURORA, Minn.-Forty years ago today, 19-year-old Cindy Elias was murdered eight miles north of Aurora.

Her body was buried under a pile of brush near a logging road after suffering multiple injuries to her head. The victim was last seen leaving a bar in Virginia, at about 12:30 a.m. Patrons said she was thinking about hitchhiking that night.

Three years ago, Fox 21 spoke with her family and law enforcement about the case and who Cindy was.

“Loved life she was always having fun,” said Judy Edwards, Cindy’s sister.”She really enjoyed the nieces and nephews that she had.”

Local authorities believe those involved in the crime, are local to the area, as it seemed they were familiar with the region she was found in.

“For someone to go up there and discard a body in this area it’s not someone that wouldn’t know where they were or someone who had been in that area or was familiar with it,” said Lieutenant Nate Skelton, of the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office.

A $50,000 award is being offered in the case. If you have any information on the case, contact authorities.

If you would like more information on the case, visit www.spotlightoncrime.org.