BOX ELDER COUNTY — Skeletal remains found in northwestern Utah are confirmed to be an Idaho man who was killed almost two years ago.
The Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office reported on Tuesday that remains presumed to belong to Dylan Rounds were recovered near Lucin, by the Nevada border. The area was processed for evidence by deputies and FBI agents, and the remains are now with the state medical examiner for confirmation of identity.
Wednesday, the sheriff’s office announced the remains have been confirmed to belong to Rounds.
Rounds, a 19-year-old from Idaho, went missing in May 2022 after a “weird run-in” near the farm in western Box Elder County where he was working, according to his family.
Rounds’ phone records were obtained, and investigators located a time-lapse video with a time stamp around the time of his disappearance, deputies said. The video “showed (James Brenner) with blood stains on his arms and shirt as he is cleaning a gun,” according to charges filed against Brenner in connection with Rounds’ death.
In March 2023, Brenner, 60, was charged with aggravated murder and abuse or desecration of a human body for the alleged killing of Rounds and disposal of his body. Brenner has been described as a “squatter” who was living near Rounds when he disappeared.
The sheriff’s office said in a statement, “Our hearts go out to the family of Dylan Rounds. We offer our sincerest condolences for the loss of their family member. We understand that the pain of their loss is immeasurable, and we want to express our deepest sympathies to them. It is our hope that they can find peace moving forward.”
Deputies said they have worked “tirelessly” investigating the “exceptionally challenging case” during the last 23 months.