Jason Landry: Remains of Missing Student Discovered Almost Six Years After Disappearance
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The remains of missing Texas State University student Jason Landry have been identified nearly six years after his disappearance. Attorney General Ken Paxton's office announced on September 23, 2026, that DNA testing has confirmed remains recently found in Caldwell County, Texas, belonged to Landry.
Jason Landry was 21 years old at the time he went missing on December 13, 2020, during a drive from his apartment in San Marcos to his parents’ home in Missouri City, Texas.
Using an app to navigate, Landry drove his 2003 Nissan Altima along Texas 80, deviating from the route a couple of hours into the journey, and crashing his vehicle on a rural road along the 2300 block of Salt Flat Road in Luling.
Sometime after midnight his vehicle was spotted by a volunteer firefighter who noted that his wallet and cell phone were still inside. The keys were still in the ignition and the lights still on.
Within half an hour the Texas Department of Public Safety troopers had responded to the scene and believed Landry may have lost control of the vehicle due to the terrain.
The vehicle was subsequently impounded and Landry's father came to collect it at around 5:30am. He became concerned when he realized his son’s cell phone was still inside and made his way to Salt Flat Road. There, approximately 900 feet from the crash site, he found Landry's shorts and other strewn articles of clothing, as well as his backpack and other personal effects. Investigators stated that a small amount of blood was found, but not enough to indicate severe injury. A tumbler containing Landry's deceased beta fish, a cap and a toiletry bag were also recovered. The clothing found in the road is believed to be the clothing Landry was likely wearing before he crashed the vehicle.
After finding his son's belongings in the street, Landry’s father, Kent Landry, said that the responding Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper, Cristobal Flores, did a "lousy job." He said Flores confiscated only the marijuana found in his son's backpack, and left everything else behind.
Kent Landry later told KHOU 11: "It just feels like your child is discarded, because they treat everything with this investigation with such indifference. You don’t even secure the evidence, whatever it might be? You don’t secure the car and the crash scene for further investigation? You don’t even do the basics- that is your job."
Jason Landry was officially reported missing on December 14, 2020.
Over the following days, a search of the area was performed by Texas Search and Rescue (TEXSAR) and Texas EquuSearch, along with various officers and volunteers. They utilized helicopters with infrared capabilities, ATVs, horses and search dogs.
Texas EquuSearch suspended its initial search after nine days. TEXSAR performed nine days of ground search as well as three days of aerial search. Despite their best efforts, no clues to the whereabouts of Jason Landry were found and the active search was called off, leaving the young man’s family without answers.
Those following the case could only speculate about what could have happened to Jason and media outlets published information pertaining to the missing man’s state of mind around the time he disappeared.
According to a Fox7 article published in 2022, testimonies provided by Landry's friends, as well as information provided by Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office Captain Jeff Ferry, indicated that Landry may have been intentionally fasting and depriving himself of sleep and mixing different strains of marijuana in order to induce a spiritual experience with the goal of reaching enlightenment. The outlet also detailed that an hour before leaving for the trip to Missouri City, Landry had apparently called a friend who reportedly recorded the call out of concern for Landry due to how "messed up" he was.
Kent Landry said that he and his family had been "preparing their hearts for the worst, for a long, long time," but would not give up or stop praying and hoping until Jason was found.
Nearly six years later, a local resident located Landry's skeletal remains on September 8, 2026. The remains were located on the 1400 block of Biggs Road, east of Salt Flat Road, between Soda Springs and Biggs Road.
DNA testing performed at the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification (UNTCHI) confirmed the identity. Five days later, Attorney General Ken Paxton's office publicly announced that the remains had been identified as Jason Landry.
Investigators state that they have found no sign of foul play. The Texas Attorney General's Office has stated that the skeletal remains did not provide additional insight into the cause or manner of death.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said of the discovery: "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. My Cold Case Unit will continue fighting to solve cases and bring closure on behalf of Texas families and victims."
According to NamUs, the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, over 600,000 people go missing in the United States every year. Tens of thousands remain missing for more than a year. Of the 4,400 unidentified bodies recovered annually, around 1,000 remain unidentified after one year.