Darian Rangel, 17, was found with gunshot wounds days after authorities issued an Amber Alert for the missing teenager.
SAN ANTONIO, TX — A 17-year-old San Antonio boy who had been the subject of an Amber Alert was found dead with gunshot wounds Friday, and police are investigating his death as a homicide.
Darian Alexandre Rangel was found near Wurzbach Parkway and Vista Del Norte on Sept. 11, according to police information cited by local news reports. A person walking through the area spotted the teenager in the grass at about 7:50 p.m. and contacted authorities. The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office later identified Rangel and determined that he died from multiple gunshot wounds and that his death was a homicide.
Rangel had been reported missing after he was last seen Sept. 7 in the 7200 block of Marbach Road on San Antonio’s West Side. Texas authorities issued an Amber Alert as the search for him continued. Alert information described Rangel as 5 feet, 7 inches tall and about 160 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.
The alert said Rangel had been wearing a red Bass Pro Shops hat, a black shirt, black jeans and black shoes and was carrying a crossbody bag when he disappeared. Reports based on the state alert placed his last known sighting at about 8:30 p.m. Sept. 7. Authorities did not publicly identify a possible suspect in the disappearance when the alert was issued.
The Texas Department of Public Safety classified the case in its alert system as involving a missing or possibly abducted child. The alert circulated across San Antonio and other parts of Texas as authorities sought information about Rangel’s location. It was later discontinued after his body was recovered.
Police have not publicly identified a suspect in Rangel’s killing or disclosed a possible motive. Authorities also have not announced where investigators believe the shooting occurred or explained the circumstances that led from Rangel’s disappearance on the West Side to the discovery of his body several days later on the city’s North Side.
One local report, citing information previously provided by Rangel’s mother, said the teenager’s cellphone had been found abandoned near Loop 410 after he disappeared. Police have not publicly detailed what role, if any, the phone or its location may have in the homicide investigation.
Rangel’s disappearance had prompted relatives to seek public help before his death was confirmed. During the search, a person identifying herself as a relative said the family was deeply worried and urged people to share information that could help authorities locate him. Investigators have not released additional details about Rangel’s movements after he was last seen.
The San Antonio Police Department said the homicide investigation remains active. No arrest had been publicly announced as of Tuesday, and authorities had not released information identifying a suspected shooter or establishing a motive in Rangel’s death.
Author note: Last updated September 15, 2026.