James Brenner: Prime suspect leads authorities to Idaho teen Dylan Rounds’ burial site two years after his disappearance

LUCIN, UTAH: The agonizing two-year wait for closure finally came to an end for the family of Dylan Rounds, as skeletal remains believed to be his were discovered in a remote area near the Utah-Nevada state line.

Rounds, a 19-year-old Idaho native, disappeared without a trace on May 28, 2022, from his farm in Lucin, Utah. He spoke with his grandmother on the phone before he vanished and was never heard from again.

When the teen vanished, James Brenner, aged 60, was occupying a property adjacent to the farm.

Rounds' relatives recounted a "weird run-in" the boy had with an unidentified individual, whom he "felt was dangerous and may have been high," as reported by East Idaho News.

Prime suspect leads authorities to Dylan Rounds' burial site

Nevertheless, the breakthrough came as the prime suspect in Rounds' disappearance, Brenner, led officers to the burial site on Tuesday, April 9, as part of a plea agreement in the case.

While the remains await official identification by the state medical examiner, Rounds' family has been notified of the discovery.

Candice Cooley, Rounds' mother, expressed her gratitude for the support received during the arduous search. "We are grateful we now have Dylan’s body and can bring him home as we continue our fight for justice."

The journey towards justice has been fraught with challenges and delays, with Rounds' family enduring setback after setback in their quest for answers.

Despite evidence linking Brenner to victim's disappearance, including a time-lapse video showing him cleaning a gun with blood stains on his arms and shirt, legal proceedings have faced repeated postponements.

Police claimed that analysis of the shirt Brenner was wearing in the footage revealed it had Rounds' DNA on it.

Candice Cooley's fight for legislative reform in aftermath of son's disappearance

Frustration over the handling of the case prompted Cooley to advocate for legislative change, pushing for proactive measures in searching for missing persons and combating the spread of false information.

Her efforts culminated in the passage of the Crime Victim Amendments bill in Utah’s House of Representatives, aiming to prevent re-victimization and ensure accountability in investigations.

Rounds’ mother expressed her belief that law enforcement officers handling her son’s case were fixated on inaccurate details regarding his sexuality. This concern led her to fear that the investigation was being prolonged due to a focus on misinformation.

“This shift aims to prevent re-victimization, where law enforcement spreads rumors about the missing person, as seen in Dylan's case," she said.

"Re-victimization, in our case, involves law enforcement spreading false information publicly about Dylan being gay and implying he willingly left. We're working to change this, pushing for accountability and fairness."

Meanwhile, James Brenner is charged with aggravated murder and abuse or desecration of a human body in connection to Rounds’ death.