Jason Landry Identified
DNA Testing Identifies Remains Found in Texas as Missing Student Jason Landry
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Key Points
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The Texas Attorney General’s Cold Case and Missing Persons Unit took over the investigation in 2022 and has since conducted repeated ground and aerial searches, followed up on new leads and reexamined the case.
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The Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office initially reported that deputies responded to skeletal remains in the 1400 block of Biggs Road, near where Biggs Road dead-ends into Salt Flat Road; the location is about a 10-minute drive from where Landry’s car was found.
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When the remains were first reported, the sheriff’s office urged the public to avoid speculation while investigators determined whether identification was possible and whether the remains were connected to any known missing-person cases.
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Attorney General Ken Paxton said Landry’s family had endured “an unimaginable tragedy” and that the family would remain in his prayers during the difficult period.
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Residents and volunteers had continued returning to the area for searches and vigils; nearby resident Pat Tucker said the case had left neighbors with unanswered questions, observing that someone might have seen Landry if he had been walking along the road after the crash.
Human remains found in rural Texas have been identified as Jason Landry, a Texas State University student who vanished nearly six years ago. Houston Public Media reports that DNA testing confirmed the remains belong to the 21-year-old, who disappeared on December 13, 2020, after his car crashed near Luling. A local resident discovered the skeletal remains on September 8, 2026, about a 10-minute drive from where Landry's abandoned vehicle was first found.
Investigators have found no indication of foul play, and officials say the findings do not yet establish the cause or manner of death. CBS Austin notes that the Texas Attorney General's Cold Case Unit, which took over the investigation in 2022, conducted repeated ground and aerial searches over the past four years. Landry's family has been notified, and authorities are asking for privacy as the investigation continues.
The December 2020 Disappearance and Initial Search
Landry was driving from San Marcos to his family's home in Missouri City when his car crashed near Salt Flat Road in Caldwell County. His abandoned vehicle and scattered belongings were discovered shortly after, sparking an immediate search. The Caldwell County Sheriff's Office, state authorities, and volunteers launched extensive efforts to locate him, but Landry remained missing for nearly six years despite intensive ground searches and public appeals for information.
Six Years of Investigation and Cold Case Work
When human remains were first reported in September 2026, the Caldwell County Sheriff's Office urged the public to avoid speculation until identification could be confirmed. KHOU reports that DNA testing eventually established the remains belonged to Landry. The Texas Attorney General's Cold Case and Missing Persons Unit had intensified efforts since taking over in 2022, pursuing new leads and reexamining evidence from the original investigation.
Unanswered Questions Linger for Community
Residents and volunteers in the area continued returning to search and hold vigils for Landry throughout the years. Local resident Pat Tucker noted that the case left neighbors with unanswered questions, suggesting that someone might have seen Landry walking along the road after the crash. Attorney General Ken Paxton said Landry's family had endured "an unimaginable tragedy" and pledged to keep them in his prayers during this difficult time.
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