HUMAN REMAINS IDENTIFIED AS MISSING TEXAS STUDENT JASON LANDRY NEARLY SIX YEARS AFTER HE VANISHED

CALDWELL COUNTY, TEXAS — Nearly six years after 21-year-old Texas State University student Jason Landry disappeared while driving home for the holidays, authorities have confirmed that human remains discovered earlier this month belong to him.

The identification brings an end to years of uncertainty for Landry’s family, but major questions surrounding his death remain unanswered.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s Cold Case Unit announced on September 23 that DNA testing had conclusively identified the remains as Landry’s. The testing was carried out by the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification.

JASON DISAPPEARED ON THE WAY HOME

Landry was 21 when he vanished on December 13, 2020.

He was travelling from Texas State University in San Marcos to his family’s home in Missouri City, Texas, for the holidays.

Shortly after midnight, his Nissan Altima was discovered abandoned after a crash on Salt Flat Road near Luling, in Caldwell County.

The vehicle was found with its lights on and the keys still in the ignition. Several of Landry’s personal belongings were discovered around the crash scene, but there was no sign of him.

The discovery triggered an extensive search involving law enforcement officers, professional search teams and volunteers.

But despite repeated ground and aerial searches, Landry remained missing for almost six years.

A DISCOVERY ON SEPTEMBER 8 CHANGED THE CASE

The breakthrough came on September 8, 2026, when a local resident discovered human remains east of Salt Flat Road, between Soda Springs and Biggs Road.

The location was in the general vicinity of where Landry’s vehicle had been found, but outside the original search grids established during the investigation.

The remains were subsequently examined by the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification.

DNA testing confirmed what Landry’s family had been waiting years to learn:

The remains belonged to Jason Landry.

THE IDENTIFICATION DOES NOT ANSWER HOW HE DIED

While the discovery has finally established Landry’s whereabouts, it has not solved the mystery surrounding his death.

Authorities said the skeletal remains did not provide additional insight into the cause or manner of death.

Investigators have also said they have found no indication of foul play at this stage.

The case therefore remains open as investigators continue examining the circumstances surrounding Landry’s disappearance and death.

YEARS OF SEARCHES FAILED TO FIND HIM

Landry’s disappearance generated a major search effort across Caldwell County.

The Texas Attorney General’s Cold Case Unit later worked with the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety and Texas Search and Rescue.

Ground and aerial searches were conducted repeatedly, while investigators reviewed new leads and revisited information gathered during the investigation.

Volunteer searchers also devoted significant time and resources to finding Landry.

FOX 7 Austin reported that a Texas EquuSearch drone pilot who participated in the search later learned that the remains were found roughly a mile beyond an established search area.

The discovery has therefore raised renewed attention on the difficulty of searching such a large and challenging area.

A FAMILY FINALLY HAS AN ANSWER

The Landry family has been notified of the identification.

In a statement shared by people close to the family, they expressed gratitude to the law enforcement officers, volunteer search teams and members of the public who had continued looking for Jason throughout the years.

The family has also asked for privacy as they process the news.

Attorney General Paxton described the identification as a critical moment in a case that had weighed heavily on the family for nearly six years.

THE MYSTERY IS NOT COMPLETELY OVER

For almost six years, one question dominated the case:

Where was Jason Landry?

That question has now been answered.

But another remains:

What happened to him after his car crashed on that December night in 2020?

At present, investigators have not publicly established the cause or manner of his death.

Authorities have said there is no current indication of foul play, while the investigation continues.

For Landry’s family, the confirmation finally ends one painful chapter of uncertainty — but leaves them facing the difficult task of understanding what happened to the young man who disappeared on his way home for Christmas nearly six years ago.