Remains of Missing Beltrami County Man Corey Bryant Recovered

Human remains found by a hunter in a wooded area northwest of Bemidji have been identified as those of Corey Bryant, a Beltrami County man reported missing late last year, Valley News Live reported.

The Beltrami County Emergency Communications Center received notification about 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, after a hunter discovered what appeared to be human remains near Minnesota Highway 89 and Mayflower Road NW, according to the sheriff’s office. Deputies secured the site before investigators from the sheriff’s office and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension processed the scene.

Bryant was 31 years old when family members and law enforcement launched numerous searches following his disappearance. His last known location was in Bemidji on Dec. 19, 2025. Investigators later recovered his vehicle in February 2026, but searches and follow-up leads at the time yielded no sign of his whereabouts.

Following the recovery, the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office positively identified the decedent as Bryant. The sheriff’s office said that the case remains under investigation and autopsy results are still pending.

At the time of the discovery, the sheriff’s office also asked hunters returning to their properties to remain observant for evidence regarding a second missing man, Russell Coyle. Coyle was 68 when he was reported missing, with a last known location at his residence north of Kelliher on April 24, 2025. Ground searches and subsequent leads have produced no signs of Coyle.

Anyone with information regarding the ongoing investigations is asked to contact the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office at 218-333-9111.