Real Estate Photographer in Luling, TX

CALDWELL COUNTY, Texas — Remains found along Salt Flat Rd. near Luling have renewed attention on the 2020 disappearance of Texas State University student Jason Landry.

Landry, a Texas State student from Missouri City, disappeared in December 2020 while driving home for the holidays. His crashed vehicle was found abandoned along Salt Flat Road, with some of his belongings inside and others scattered nearby.

Via Facebook, the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office confirmed it recently responded to a report of skeletal remains discovered in the 1400 block of Biggs Rd., which intersects Salt Flat Road, about a 10-minute drive from the site where Landry’s crashed car was found. The sheriff’s office says they are working to determine whether identification of the remains is possible and if there is any connection to known missing-person cases.

“He's out here somewhere, I hope," said Pat Tucker, who lives near the crash site. "But he wasn't right where he should have been, where he crashed his car. I mean. That's kind of strange.”

Tucker says he spoke with Landry's mother the day after the crash occurred.

“She had a picture of him, and she stopped me on Salt Flat Rd. and said, 'Have you seen him?' And I hadn't seen him or anything,” he said.

Tucker said he saw law enforcement combing the fields near Salt Flat Rd. a few years ago, but he has not seen any searches in the area since.

“I wish they could find some answers, you know, because I mean, it's been, like you said, six years. And we need to know what happened to him," said Tucker.

The sheriff's office referred our questions to the Texas Attorney General’s Office, whose Cold Case and Missing Persons Unit has led the investigation into Landry’s disappearance since 2022.

Several attempts to confirm the information with the Attorney General’s Office went unanswered.

CALDWELL COUNTY, Texas - Caldwell County deputies are investigating human remains that were found along Biggs Road in Luling, near the area where Texas State student Jason Landry went missing nearly six years ago.

What we know:

The Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office said skeletal remains were found along Biggs Road, a remote stretch of Luling that intersects with Salt Flat Road.

The discovery was made in the same area where Landry disappeared in December 2020.

Discovery brings renewed interest in Jason Landry disappearance

Big picture view:

Landry was 21 and a student at Texas State University when he traveled from San Marcos to his hometown of Missouri City, Texas, in December 2020.

He never made it home.

His car was found crashed into a tree along Salt Flat Road, a gravel road that runs through oil fields in Luling. His clothes and cellphone were found at the scene, but there was no sign of Landry.

For nearly six years, Landry’s family, friends and volunteer search teams have been looking for answers. Search teams scoured the area for additional evidence but came up empty.

"Although we don’t believe he’s still alive, we still need to find him, it’s very important and a piece of us is missing," Landry’s family previously said.

"None of the follow-up searches produced a single shred, not even a scrap of evidence away from the original accident scene," the family said in a previous interview.

The search never stopped. Billboards were placed, reward money was offered and crowds of volunteers searched for Landry.

Each year, friends and family gather for a vigil near the location where his car was found along Salt Flat Road, clinging to hope that they will find some sort of closure.

What they're saying:

The sheriff’s office said additional examination is being conducted to determine whether the remains can be identified and whether they are connected to any known missing-person cases.

"Additional examination is being conducted to determine if identification is possible and if there are any connections to known missing-person cases," the agency said.

What we don't know:

The sheriff’s office has not said whether the remains are connected to Landry’s disappearance. The remains have not yet been identified.

The investigation into Landry’s disappearance was taken over by the Texas Attorney General’s Office in 2022. The office has been contacted for more details about the recent discovery but has not yet responded.

The Source: Information on remains found in Caldwell County comes from the Caldwell County Sheriff's Office. Information on the disappearance of Jason Landry comes from previous FOX 7 reporting.

SAN ANTONIO — Human remains found in Caldwell County near Luling have been identified as belonging to Jason Landry, a Texas State University student who went missing nearly six years ago while driving home for the holidays.

Jason Landry, 21, was last seen on Dec. 13, 2020, traveling from San Marcos to his family's home in Missouri City. Shortly after midnight, authorities discovered his crashed and abandoned vehicle on Salt Flat Road in Caldwell County near Luling, with some of his belongings inside the car and others scattered nearby. Law enforcement, search teams and volunteers spent years combing the area in hopes of finding him.

On Sept. 8, a local resident found human remains east of Salt Flat Road, between Soda Springs and Biggs Road. The University of North Texas Center for Human Identification performed DNA analysis and confirmed the remains belonged to Landry. The skeletal remains have not given investigators new answers about his cause or manner of death and officials report no evidence of foul play.

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Over the years, the Cold Case Unit from the Texas Attorney General's Office worked closely with the Caldwell County Sheriff's Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Search and Rescue and community volunteers to search for Landry. Their combined efforts ultimately led to this discovery. Pat Tucker, a neighbor in the area, explained the uncertainty among locals. “It's kind of crazy. And there are a lot of people going down this road and if he's walking down the road, someone would have seen him. But since he crashed, no one's seen him,” Tucker said.

Attorney General Ken Paxton addressed the significance 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,” Paxton said. He added, “My Cold Case Unit will continue fighting to solve cases and bring closure on behalf of Texas families and victims.”

News 4 has been following this story since Landry's disappearance and will continue to monitor updates. Law enforcement asks the public to respect the family's privacy as they receive this news. The $20,000 reward for information related to Landry's disappearance remains available and anyone with relevant details is urged to contact the Texas Attorney General's Office at 512-936-0742.

Remains discovered earlier this month in Caldwell County have been positively identified as those of a Texas State University student who went missing in December 2020, according to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's office.

According to Paxton's office, DNA analysis confirmed the remains were those of Jason Landry, a 21-year-old who disappeared when driving from San Marcos to Missouri City, located southwest of Houston. He was last seen alive on Dec. 13, 2020.

His body was discovered on Sept. 8 near Luling — located east of San Antonio, by a local resident.

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According to Paxton's office, the remains have not yet provided "additional insight into the cause or manner of death," and there has been no indication of foul play.

Landry's crashed and abandoned vehicle was discovered along Salt Flat Road near Luling shortly after his disappearance, according to Paxton's office. Some of Landry's personal belongings were also found scattered near the crash, but his body was not located despite efforts from local law enforcement and volunteers.

His body was eventually located east of the crash site.

The University of North Texas Center for Human Identification conducted the DNA testing, and Paxton credits his office's cold case unit with continuing the investigation into Landry's missing-person case.

"This development marks a critical moment in a case that has weighed heavily on our hearts for nearly six years," Paxton said in a statement. "The Landry family has suffered an unimaginable tragedy, and they will remain in our prayers, especially during this incredibly difficult time."

The Caldwell County Sheriff's Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and Texas Search and Rescue have also assisted in the investigation, according to Paxton's Office.

LULING, Texas — The Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office says skeletal remains were recently found outside Luling, renewing attention on the nearly six-year disappearance of Texas State University student Jason Landry.

Deputies responded to a report of skeletal remains in the 1400 block of Biggs Road, near where the road dead-ends into Salt Flat Road, according to the sheriff’s office.

Officials have not identified the remains or said whether they are connected to Landry’s case.

The discovery is in the rural area near Salt Flat Road, where Landry’s crashed and abandoned vehicle was found in December 2020.

Landry was 21 when he disappeared while driving from San Marcos to his family’s home in Missouri City for the holidays. Some of his belongings were found inside his vehicle, while others were scattered near the crash site.

The Texas Attorney General’s Cold Case and Missing Persons Unit has led the investigation into Landry’s disappearance since 2022.

Pat Tucker, who lives near the area where Landry disappeared, said the case has long left neighbors with unanswered questions.

“It’s kind of crazy. And there are a lot of people going down this road, and if he’s walking down the road, someone would have seen him. But since he crashed, no one’s seen him.”

Landry’s family and volunteers have repeatedly returned to the area for searches and vigils over the years, hoping to find out what happened to him.

The sheriff’s office says additional examination is now underway to determine whether identification of the remains is possible and whether there is a connection to any known missing-person cases.

That process could take a week or longer. Investigators may first need to determine what evidence can be collected from the remains, then compare dental records, medical records, or DNA to potential missing-person cases.

A dental comparison can move more quickly if investigators have usable teeth and matching records, while DNA testing can take weeks or months depending on the condition of the remains, the availability of family reference samples, and laboratory workload.

Tucker said he hopes the investigation finally brings answers.

“I wish they could find some answers, you know, because, I mean, it’s been, like you said, six years. And we need to know what happened to him.”

The Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office is asking the public to avoid speculation while the active investigation continues. Officials say more information will be released when it becomes available.

A $20,000 reward remains available for information leading to answers in Landry’s disappearance. Anyone with information can contact the Texas Attorney General’s Office at 512-936-0742.