DNA testing confirmed remains found near Luling belong to Jason Landry, nearly six years after the college student disappeared.
LULING, TX — Human remains discovered in Caldwell County have been identified as Jason Landry, a Texas State University student who disappeared nearly six years ago after his car crashed on a rural road near Luling, state officials announced Wednesday.
DNA analysis by the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification conclusively matched the remains to Landry, according to the Texas Attorney General’s Office. A local resident found the remains Sept. 8 east of Salt Flat Road, between Soda Springs and Biggs Road. Landry had been missing since Dec. 13, 2020, when he left San Marcos to drive to his family’s home in Missouri City for the holidays.
Landry was 21 when he disappeared. Shortly after midnight following his departure from San Marcos, his crashed and abandoned vehicle was found on Salt Flat Road in Caldwell County near Luling. Investigators found several of his belongings, including clothing, near the crash scene, but searches of the surrounding area failed to locate him.
The discovery of the remains brought a major development in a case that had remained unresolved despite years of searches and renewed investigative work. The Attorney General’s Office said the skeletal remains do not provide additional information about Landry’s cause or manner of death. Investigators also said they have found no indication of foul play.
The Texas Attorney General’s Cold Case and Missing Persons Unit became involved in the investigation in 2022 after a request for assistance from local authorities. The unit worked with the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety and Texas Search and Rescue. Investigators conducted repeated ground and aerial searches, reviewed leads and reexamined evidence as the case remained open.
By the third anniversary of Landry’s disappearance in December 2023, the Attorney General’s Office said investigators had devoted hundreds of hours to the case. Their work included forensic testing, search warrants and witness interviews. A case review that year also brought together specialists in digital forensics, geospatial sciences, data mapping and criminal intelligence, along with representatives from several law enforcement agencies.
Landry’s disappearance drew sustained attention from his family, friends and volunteers. Search teams repeatedly examined the rural area surrounding the crash site, while volunteers devoted time and resources to efforts to find him. Friends and relatives also gathered for annual vigils as the years passed without an answer about what happened after the crash.
The identification followed the discovery of skeletal remains in the broader area of Landry’s disappearance earlier this month. Before DNA results were available, authorities cautioned against speculation and said additional examination would be needed to determine whether the remains were connected to a known missing-person case. The subsequent forensic testing established that the remains were Landry’s.
Attorney General Ken Paxton said the identification marked a significant moment in a case that had weighed on Landry’s family for nearly six years. The Attorney General’s Office said Landry’s family has been notified and asked that the family be given privacy following the identification.
Questions remain about how Landry died and what happened after his vehicle crashed. State officials said the remains themselves have not established a cause or manner of death, and no evidence of foul play has been identified. Authorities said additional information will be released when appropriate.
Author note: Last updated Sept. 24, 2026.