SARTELL, Minn. — DNA testing has confirmed the human remains found in a 1960s-era car in the Mississippi River at Sartell belong to Roy George Benn, according to the Benton County Sheriff’s Office.

The Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office identified Benn’s remains on Thursday and said it will continue to investigate his cause of death.

Benn, 59, was last seen on Sept. 25, 1967, in a cafe in Sartell. He was reported to have been carrying a large amount of cash at the time of his disappearance.

An angler with sonar on his boat detected what appeared to be a submerged vehicle last month. The Stearns-Benton County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team recovered the 1963 Buick Electra, which was later confirmed to be registered to Benn, from the river near Riverside Avenue in Sartell.

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A 35-year-old man is facing a second-degree intentional murder charge in the poisoning death of his St. Cloud roommate.

Stuart William Hanmer was charged in Stearns County Court on Friday. Authorities say that Hanmer poisoned Cody Ernst, 33, of St. Cloud, Hanmer’s roommate at Hope Recovery Living, a St. Cloud sober living house.

Ernst lived at the facility for six months and Hanmer, of Moorhead, moved in on May 3, according to the criminal complaint.

Ernst died on June 22 as a result of complications related to thallium ingestion, according to St. Cloud police. Thallium is a toxic heavy metal, and tasteless and odorless element. It was historically used as a rodenticide and insecticide, but was banned for U.S. household use in 1965, according to the National Institute of Health.

“A pharmacist with poison control indicated that the level of Thallium present in the patient was likely ingested, as there would be no other way to get this level of exposure from environmental means,” the complaint says.

According to the charges, investigators found the following internet searches made from April 4-6 on one of Hanmer’s devices:

“How long does it take if thallium poisons you”
“How much thallium nitrate is fatal”
“Is thallium the most toxic”
“Is thallium metal in elemental form toxic”
“How do you crystalize thallium sulfate”
“Buy element thallium”

Officers found three online transactions from April 5-6 in which Hanmer purchased 25 grams of thallium metal for $162.56, according to the complaint.

Hanmer signed for a package on May 14, two days before Ernst was hospitalized, according to the charges. An expert in metals and environmental toxins believed Ernst was poisoned on May 14 or 15, according to the charges.

On May 14-15, Hanmer’s devices included additional internet searches, such as “How much thallium is lethal” and “How long does it take for thallium symptoms to present in humans,” according to the complaint.

According to the complaint, Hanmer watched a video on how to create thallium sulfate on April 5 and May 15. The video shows powder crystallized thallium sulfate, and a speaker in the video said, “that’s like, enough crystallized thallium sulfate to kill 15 grown men,” according to the charges.

Ernst was taken to the emergency room at St. Cloud Hospital on May 16. Ernst reported that he had “smoked” on May 15 before having an “episode of vomiting and seizure-like activity,” according to the complaint.

On July 7, investigators met with Hanmer, who said he and Ernst “would often smoke marijuana and drink coffee together in the mornings,” according to the charges. Hanmer told investigators that he was at the residence when Ernst had a seizure and that he “wasn’t aware of what thallium poisoning was until after hearing (Ernst) passed away.”

Hanmer was arrested Wednesday after a months-long, multi-agency investigation, according to St. Cloud police. Hanmer had a first appearance in Stearns County District Court on Friday.

A second-degree intentional murder charge carries a maximum sentence of 40 years.

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Postal traffic into the United States plunged by more than 80% after the Trump administration ended a tariff exemption for low-cost imports, the United Nations postal agency said Saturday.

The Universal Postal Union says it has started rolling out new measures that can help postal operators around the world calculate and collect duties, or taxes, after the U.S. eliminated the so-called “de minimis exemption” for lower-value parcels.

Eighty-eight postal operators have told the UPU that they have suspended some or all postal services to the United States until a solution is implemented with regard to U.S.-bound parcels valued at $800 or less, which had been the cutoff for imported goods to escape customs charges.

“The global network saw postal traffic to the U.S. come to a near-halt after the implementation of the new rules on Aug. 29, 2025, which for the first time placed the burden of customs duty collection and remittance on transportation carriers or U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency-approved qualified parties,” the UPU said in a statement.

The UPU said information exchanged between postal operators through its electronic network showed traffic from its 192 member countries — nearly all the world countries — had fallen 81% on Aug. 29, compared to a week earlier.

The Bern, Switzerland-based agency said the “major operational disruptions” have occurred because airlines and other carriers indicated they weren’t willing or able to collect such duties, and foreign postal operators had not established a link to CBP-qualified companies.

Before the measure took effect, the postal union sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to express concerns about its impact.

The de minimis exemption has existed in some form since 1938, and the administration says the exemption has become a loophole that foreign businesses exploit to evade tariffs and criminals use to get drugs into the U.S.

Purchases that previously entered the U.S. without needing to clear customs now require vetting and are subject to their origin country’s applicable tariff rate, which can range from 10% to 50%.

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While the change applies to the products of every country, U.S. residents will not have to pay duties on incoming gifts valued at up to $100, or on up to $200 worth of personal souvenirs from trips abroad, according to the White House.

The UPU said its members had not been given enough time or guidance to comply with the procedures outlined in the executive order U.S. President Donald Trump signed on July 30 to eliminate the duty-free eligibility of low-value goods.

Korean boy group BE:MAX has canceled its Saturday St. Paul appearance because of visa issues, the group said on social media.

They were slated to be the headlining band at what organizers are touting as Minnesota’s first K-pop convention at St. Paul RiverCentre beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday.

KPopMinneCon will feature music performances, dances, influencers, beauty and food vendors and merchandise. Performers include Ted Park and influencer Beom Han is also scheduled to appear. The event will celebrate the Korean pop music community in the Midwest, according to presenter MNKPopConnect.

The band posted on social media that when they arrived at the airport to fly to the United States they had to cancel the trip “due to the unexpected cancellation of our visa.”

It was unclear Saturday morning whether the entire festival would be canceled, however stories on its social media account after the announcement showed the festival organizers were preparing for attendees still.

The convention was advertised as offering an all-in-one ticket covering both entry and concert access, with flexible in-and-out privileges. Activities include panels, dance challenges, and Korean and Asian food trucks serving a variety of cuisines.

BE:MAX was scheduled to perform at 8 p.m.

Meet and greets run from 3-6 p.m. and include performers Ted Park, Alan Z, Lucid Lee (LUC:ID), Ramiro Brave and Mimi Yang.

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