In a remote region of Utah, the presumed skeletal remains of Dylan Rounds, a 19-year-old farmer who disappeared over Memorial Day weekend in 2022, were discovered on Tuesday, April 9, 2024.
The tragic discovery is linked to the alleged murder of Rounds by his neighbor, 60-year-old James Brenner. Brenner, who had been illegally occupying a trailer on land adjacent to Rounds' property near the Utah-Nevada border, led investigators to the burial site as part of a plea agreement, as reported by the East Idaho News.
Rounds' mother, Candice Cooley, expressed her gratitude for the support and love they have received. She told the East Idaho News, "We are grateful we now have Dylans body and can bring him home as we continue our fight for justice.
Brenner, who was considered a "family friend" of Rounds, has been in custody since June 2022 following his arrest for firearms violations. He was charged with Rounds' murder in 2023. The Box Elder County Sheriffs Office announced in March 2023 that Brenner was facing charges of aggravated murder and abuse or desecration of a human body, both felonies.
The last known contact with Rounds was on May 30, 2022, when he spoke with his grandmother over the phone, informing her that he was "putting the grain truck into shelter," according to Fox News. The shelter was located on land owned by Box Elder Land and Livestock, adjacent to the property where Brenner was squatting.
The arrest of Brenner on March 3, 2023, followed a challenging and extensive nine-month investigation by the sheriffs office. During the initial search for Rounds, a missing grain truck and a pair of bloody boots were discovered. DNA analysis confirmed that the blood on the boots matched Rounds', as reported by KSL.com.
The investigation also led to the recovery of several firearms from Brenner's property, which he was illegally possessing due to his criminal history. Brenner had reportedly asked another resident to keep the weapons for him, stating that he did not want his remaining possessions to be seized as they had been during a previous encounter with the law.
Search warrants were executed on Brenner's trailer, leading to the confiscation of a muzzleloader, several boxes of lead ball ammunition, ignition caps, 4 pounds of Hornady black powder, speed loads, and a .22-caliber Winchester Model 69 rifle. Investigators also obtained Rounds' phone records, which showed activity near Brenner's squatting location.
A time-lapse video found on Rounds' phone showed Brenner cleaning his gun with bloodstains visible on his arms and shirt. Rounds' DNA was also found on Brenner's bloody shirt, further linking him to the teen's disappearance, according to KSL.com.
Court documents obtained by KSL.com revealed that Brenner made several claims during his interview that corroborated forensic evidence, despite also making numerous demonstrably false statements.
The Box Elder County Sheriffs Office extended their condolences to Rounds' family in a statement, acknowledging the immeasurable pain of their loss and expressing hope for their peace moving forward.
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