The skeletal remains of a 19-year-old farmer, who vanished over Memorial Day weekend in 2022, were found in a remote area in Utah on Tuesday. Dylan Rounds was allegedly murdered by his neighbor, James Brenner who had been squatting in a trailer on the land next to the teen's property in a small desert community near the Utah-Nevada border.
The Box Elder County Sheriff's Office announced on Monday that they had recovered skeletal remains that they believe belong to Rounds. Brenner is charged with aggravated murder and abuse or desecration of a human body. He led authorities to the location of the burial site as part of a plea agreement.
Found Dead after Two Years
"On April 9, 2024, skeletal remains presumed to belong to Dylan Rounds were recovered in the remote western Box Elder County area of Lucin," the Box Elder County Sheriff's Office (BECOSO) said in a statement.
"The FBI assisted the Box Elder County Sheriff's Office by processing the area for evidence and recovering the remains.
"The remains are in the possession of the Utah Office of the Medical Examiner for confirmation of identity.
"Our hearts go out to the family of Dylan Rounds. We offer our sincerest condolences for the loss of their family member.
"We understand that the pain of their loss is immeasurable, and we want to express our deepest sympathies to them. It is our hope that they can find peace moving forward."
Rounds' mother Candice Cooley who spoke to the outlet, said "We thank everyone for their support and love.
"We are grateful we now have Dylan's body and can bring him home as we continue our fight for justice."
Brenner, 60, had led investigators to Rounds' burial site as part of a plea deal, as reported by the East Idaho News.
Desperate Search Ends in Success
During the initial search for the missing teen, the missing grain truck and a pair of bloody boots were found. A DNA analysis conducted later matched Rounds to the shoes, as reported by KSL.com.
County officials and the FBI also recovered several guns from Brenner's property, which he was in illegal possession of due to his criminal history.
Brenner was arrested in June 2022 on outstanding warrants as the investigation into Rounds' disappearance intensified. Reports indicated he had been previously booked into the Weber County Jail on federal charges.
According to a probable cause statement, Rounds' last phone signal was traced to a Lucin pond, not far from where Brenner was living.
Brenner's trial is set for May 2024, due to a scheduling issue with Brenner's attorney, The Sun reported. After being charged with Rounds' murder, KUTV reported that blood stains, allegedly belonging to Rounds, were found on Brenner's arms and shirt.
In 2022, prosecutors requested a judge to keep Brenner in custody before trial, citing him as a 'serious risk' and referring to his previous criminal history.
