The remains of Jason Landry, a Texas State University student who disappeared after crashing his car on the way home for Christmas, have been found nearly six years after he vanished.
DNA analysis confirmed that skeletal remains discovered by a Caldwell County resident on Sept. 8 belonged to the 21-year-old, the Texas Attorney General’s Office announced Wednesday. The site was roughly 50 miles from Austin.
Landry disappeared on Dec. 13, 2020, after wrecking his Nissan Altima on a rural road near Luling. He had been driving from San Marcos to his family’s home in Missouri City, where he planned to spend Christmas.
When investigators located the crash scene, they found Landry’s phone and wallet inside the vehicle. Pieces of clothing believed to belong to him were scattered nearby.
Authorities said the discovery has not answered questions about how Landry died. So far, investigators have found no evidence suggesting foul play.
The Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office said that on Sept. 18, deputies responded to a report of skeletal remains located about a 10-minute drive from the site where Landry’s car had been found.
The property owner who discovered the remains had been mowing his grass when he noticed what he initially thought was a ball. He soon realized it was a human skull, sources told KHOU 11.
Over the years, law enforcement officers, professional search teams and volunteers searched the surrounding countryside by land and air. Texas Department of Public Safety records show aircraft conducted grid searches near the location where Landry was last known to be.
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The remains were found beyond the boundaries of the area identified for the search, even though teams had carried out more than 30 searches during the nearly six-year investigation.
The Texas Attorney General’s Cold Case and Missing Persons Unit assumed responsibility for the case in 2022.
Authorities said Landry’s family has been informed of the identification.
“This development marks a critical moment in a case that has weighed heavily on our hearts for nearly six years. The Landry family has suffered an unimaginable tragedy, and they will remain in our prayers, especially during this incredibly difficult time,” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said.
“My Cold Case Unit will continue fighting to solve cases and bring closure on behalf of Texas families and victims.”
Shawn Hohnstreiter, co-founder of TEXSAR, a nonprofit organization focused on search, rescue and disaster response, told KVUE that volunteers devoted countless hours to combing roads, fields and other areas throughout Caldwell County. Over time, he said, finding Landry became deeply personal for many of them.
“We’ve been searching for Jason for nearly six years now,” Hohnstreiter said.
Following the identification, Hohnstreiter returned to a memorial near the crash site that had been created in Landry’s honor. He left behind a challenge coin, a gesture symbolizing closure for the search volunteers and respect for Landry.
“This has been a big moment in all of our lives on the TEXSAR side for many years,” Hohnstreiter told the outlet. “It’s one I believe also deserves the respect.”