BEMIDJI, MN — Human remains found by a hunter northwest of Bemidji have been identified as Corey Bryant, a man reported missing in December 2025, according to the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office.
The Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office made the identification, and deputies said in a Saturday update that the case remains under investigation. Bryant was 31 when he disappeared, and authorities had already found his vehicle in February 2026 without any sign of him.
The discovery closes one missing-person search but leaves investigators with new questions about how Bryant died and what led to his death. An autopsy is expected soon.
Searchers were urged to watch for clues after fall appeal
The sheriff’s office had asked hunters returning to their properties on Nov. 5 to look for evidence tied to Bryant and another missing man, Russell Coyle. That appeal came after investigators said they had been working through leads and conducting ground searches in both cases.
Officials have not released details about exactly where the remains were discovered, beyond saying they were found northwest of Bemidji by a hunter. The office’s latest update did not say whether the discovery came during a planned search or was made accidentally while someone was on private land.
Beltrami County authorities said the Bryant investigation is still active, even though his remains have now been identified. The sheriff’s office has not announced a cause of death.
Bryant was last known to be in Bemidji in December 2025
Bryant was last known to be in Bemidji on Dec. 19, 2025, according to authorities. After that, deputies located his vehicle in February 2026, but there were no signs of the missing man.
That gap in the timeline has been central to the investigation, which has stretched across much of 2026. Law enforcement officials have said little publicly about what they believe happened in the weeks after Bryant was last seen.
With the identification now complete, investigators are expected to focus on the circumstances surrounding his death and the path that led from his disappearance to the recovery of his remains.
Russell Coyle remains missing after months of leads and searches
The sheriff’s office used the same Nov. 5 appeal to renew attention on Russell Coyle, who remains missing. Coyle was 68 when he was reported missing, and he was last seen at his residence north of Kelliher on April 24, 2025.
Authorities describe him as white, with blue eyes, 5 feet 7 inches tall and about 200 pounds. Officials said his clothing at the time of his disappearance is unknown, though he often wore checkered or flannel shirts and blue jeans.
Beltrami County investigators have said they followed several leads and carried out ground searches as they continued working the case. Despite those efforts, Coyle has not been found.
Sheriff’s office asks anyone with information to come forward
Investigators are still asking for help from the public in the Coyle case. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office at 218-333-9111, option 2.
The office has not said whether the discovery of Bryant’s remains changes its approach to the search for Coyle, but both cases have been linked in recent updates as deputies continue working through evidence and tips.
For Bryant’s family and for those still hoping for answers in Coyle’s disappearance, the latest development marks progress in one case and a reminder that another search continues without resolution.
What investigators have said so far about the remains
Officials have confirmed only that the remains were found by a hunter northwest of Bemidji and later identified by the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office. The sheriff’s office has not released a more exact location or said whether any additional evidence was recovered at the scene.
The case is still open, and investigators have not publicly outlined whether foul play is suspected. They also have not disclosed the timing of the remains’ discovery beyond the Saturday update.
As the autopsy approaches, the next major developments are likely to come from medical and investigative findings that could help explain Bryant’s final days and provide a clearer timeline of what happened after he was last seen.
