Last week we walked through the initial investigation into the nearly 5-decade-old missing person case of 17-year-old Belinda VanLith. Despite her disappearance essentially being considered a runaway case by police initially, they had quickly come around to the possibility that perhaps Belinda had been met with foul play – and there were some people close to the cabin she was last known to be at that were looking like promising suspects, but police never had enough evidence to move forward, and her case went cold for almost 3 decades.
Where we left off, investigators were 28 years into their investigation with little to show for it, when suddenly, in 2002, a relative came forward to police with a story they hadn’t heard before. And that’s where we’re picking up…
Episode Info
If you have any information about the disappearance or murder of Belinda VanLith in 1974, please call Crime Stoppers of Minnesota at 1-800-222-TIPS. You can also submit a tip online through Crime Stoppers.
To apply for a Cold Case Playing Card grant through Season of Justice, please visit www.seasonofjustice.org.

Rodney Meintsma circa 1995. Courtesy: Wright County Sheriff’s Office

Beaded necklace found during 2013 search of Duane Cornwell’s old garage. Courtesy: Wright County Sheriff’s Office

The piece of cloth and string found on Duane Cornwell’s property. Courtesy: Wright County Sheriff’s Office

A map showing the property that Belinda was housesitting when she disappeared in relation to Timothy Crosby’s family cabin. Courtesy: Google Earth

A dig was conducted at Timothy Crosby’s parents’ old cabin in 2014. Courtesy: Wright County Sheriff’s Office

Article highlighting a new look into Belinda’s case. Courtesy: St. Cloud Times

Belinda VanLith, date unknown. Courtesy: Wright County Sheriff’s Office
Episode Source Material
- Ancestry.com
- Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension: Missing person bulletin.
- Star Tribune: Seeing foul play, Wright County reopens 1974 missing teen case, by Paul Walsh.
- St. Cloud Times: Belinda VanLith via Newspapers.com.
- St. Cloud Times: VanLith case is getting a fresh look, by David Unze via Newspapers.com.
- TheDoeNetwork: Belinda VanLith.
- The Charley Project: Belinda Kay VanLith.
- Weather Underground: Saint Cloud, MN Weather History.