James Brenner pleads guilty to Dylan Rounds murder after leading authorities to Idaho teen's burial site

LUCIN, UTAH: James Brenner has admitted to the murder of 19-year-old Dylan Rounds, who went missing two years ago in Utah.

Brenner's guilty plea in the First District Court in Brigham City, Utah on Wednesday, May 15, came after a plea deal requiring him to disclose the location of Rounds' remains.

James Brenner's guilty plea deal

The Idaho native and young farmer's skeletal remains were discovered in April, leading to Brenner's admission of guilt.

"In exchange, Brenner received a reduction from first-degree felony aggravated murder to second-degree felony murder. The second charge, desecration of human remains, was dismissed," stated a press release from the Box Elder County Attorney's Office. Additionally, Brenner pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of a firearm by a restricted person.

The plea deal also resolved two other court cases, with a third case for aggravated assault being dismissed. Brenner will serve consecutive sentences for each charge, and "prison is mandatory."  His sentencing is scheduled for July 1.

Timeline of Dylan Rounds' disappearance

Rounds disappeared after having a conversation with his grandmother on May 28, 2022. At that time, Brenner, aged 58, was residing in a trailer situated on the property where Rounds stored his grain truck. He became a suspect in the case in July 2022.

"The current totality of information gathered from the many interviews and searches, along with the analysis of both physical evidence and forensic data, has identified James Brenner as a suspect," noted Chief Deputy Cade Palmer of the Box Elder County Sheriff's Office.

Nonprofit organization founded in memory of Dylan Rounds

Rounds' mother, Candice Cooley, described her son as someone who was "building his life" and realizing his dream of owning a farm in the remote Utah desert.

"He has spent the last two summers ripping out and redeveloping that ground on his own. He got his water rights. He did everything. And this year his grain was finally coming up. He finally got a crop. He got his pivot up. It was a fully functional farm," recalled the heartbroken mother.

Rounds' family recently established 'Dylan's Legacy', a nonprofit organization that "provides resources, guidance, and emotional support to those affected by similar circumstances," according to its website.

Box Elder County Attorney Stephen Hadfield expressed relief at being able to bring closure to the case, noting, "Being able to bring Dylan home and bring this prosecution to a successful conclusion is a great relief."

"It has been amazing to see what the tireless and unrelenting effort of so many different people can accomplish. We wouldn’t be here without each of their individual contributions," continued the statement.