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The remains of a Texas State University student who vanished after crashing his car while heading home for Christmas have been recovered nearly six years later.
DNA testing confirmed that skeletal remains found by a resident in Caldwell County — about 50 miles outside Austin — on Sept. 8 belonged to 21-year-old Jason Landry, according to the Texas Attorney General’s Office on Wednesday.
Landry had been missing since Dec. 13, 2020, when he wrecked his Nissan Altima on a rural road in Luling and abandoned the vehicle during his road trip from San Marcos to his family’s home in Missouri City for Christmas.
Investigators found Landry’s phone and wallet inside the vehicle when they located the crash site. They also found some of the student’s clothing scattered around the area.
Officials said the remains shed no new light on how Landry died, and that they have found no indication of foul play.
On Sept. 18, the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office said it responded to a report of skeletal remains about a 10-minute drive from where Landry’s car was found.
The resident who found the remains was cutting grass on his property when he spotted what he believed was a ball — but it turned out to be a human skull, sources told KHOU 11.
Police, search teams and volunteers scoured the rural area on the ground and from the air — with Texas Department of Public Safety records showing aircraft flew grid searches around Landry’s last known location.
Landry’s remains were discovered outside the area authorities had established for the search — despite search teams conducting more than 30 searches over the past six years.
In 2022, the Texas Attorney General’s Cold Case and Missing Persons Unit took over the case.
Officials said Landry’s family has been notified.
“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 search, rescue and disaster response service — said volunteers spent countless hours searching roads and fields across Caldwell County, and that finding Landry had become a big part of many of their lives, KVUE reported.
“We’ve been searching for Jason for nearly six years now,” he said.
After the remains were identified, Hohnstreiter returned to a memorial set up for Landry near the crash site and left a challenge coin — a symbol of closure for the 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.”
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