Killer ‘squatter’ leads cops to skeletal remains of farm boy Dylan Rounds, who vanished after phone call with grandma in 2022

Dylan Rounds was 19 when he went missing in 2022.

Authorities believe they have found the "skeletal remains" of Dylan Rounds, a 19-year-old Utah farmer who disappeared nearly two years ago and is believed to have been murdered.

Dylan Rounds was allegedly murdered in 2022, and in March 2023, James Brenner was charged with one count of aggravated murder in connection with Rounds' death, along with one count of abuse or desecration of a human body, as per court records.

ames Brenner is suspected of killing teen Dylan Rounds.

According to a press release from the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office on April 9, 2024, skeletal remains presumed to be Dylan Rounds were discovered in the remote western Box Elder County area of Lucin. The remains are currently with the Utah Office of the Medical Examiner for official identification.

“We thank everyone for their support and love,” said Rounds’ mother, Candice Cooley.

The press release conveyed condolences to the family of Dylan Rounds, acknowledging the profound loss they've experienced. It also mentioned the assistance provided by the FBI in processing the area for evidence and recovering the remains. However, no further details were provided to avoid compromising the ongoing legal proceedings.

Investigators found Rounds' DNA in bloodstains on Brenner's clothes.

The sheriff’s office expressed gratitude to everyone involved in the investigation and search efforts over the past 23 months, including deputies, detectives, volunteers, and other county employees. Dylan Rounds last communicated with his family in May 2022. He had purchased land in the Utah desert years earlier, pursuing his dream of owning a farm.

Lucin is an abandoned railroad community, 200 miles northwest of Salt Lake City.

Rounds' remains were found after Brenner led officials to the burial site as part of a plea deal Tuesday morning.

The shelter was on a section of land owned by Box Elder Land and Livestock, and was adjacent to the property Brenner was squatting on.