Authorities believe they have found the remains of Dylan Rounds, a 19-year-old farmer from Utah who went missing in 2022. The skeletal remains were discovered in a remote part of western Utah, in Box Elder County. The discovery was made after James Brenner, the man charged with Rounds' murder, reportedly led officials to the site.
Rounds was last heard from by his family in May 2022. He had purchased hundreds of acres of land in the Utah desert, pursuing his dream of owning a farm. His neighbor, James Brenner, was charged with one count of aggravated murder in connection with Rounds' death and one count of abuse or desecration of a human body. Brenner was reportedly squatting on land near Rounds' farm at the time of the alleged murder.
"On April 9, 2024, skeletal remains presumed to belong to Dylan Rounds were recovered," the Box Elder County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.
The remains are now in the possession of the Utah Office of the Medical Examiner for confirmation of identity.
The Sheriff's Office also expressed their condolences to the Rounds family, stating, "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."
The FBI assisted the Sheriff's Office in processing the area for evidence and recovering the remains. Due to ongoing legal proceedings, no additional information can be released at this time.
Brenner's trial is set to begin in May 2024.