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Officials have named a suspect in Dylan Rounds' disappearance case. The 19-year-old Utah teenager and recent high school graduate went missing along the Utah-Nevada border around May 28, 2022.
Court documents in an unrelated federal weapons offense case allege that James Brenner, the 58-year-old felon neighbor of Dylan, is a suspect in the disappearance. Documents suggest that Brenner lived in a trailer on the property near Rounds’ farm and had contact with Dylan.
Brenner is a neighbor and "family friend" of Dylan's family. His mother, Candice Cooley, described the suspect as an "acquaintance" with her son.
As per court records, he has a past criminal history of malicious wounding, malicious shooting, and three prior convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Further records state:
"The defendant has no work history and is currently unemployed and has no verifiable residence. The defendant was trespassing and squatting on property."
A neighbor of Dylan's, identified in court documents as DH, admitted that at some point after Rounds’ disappearance, Brenner asked him to conceal three black powder guns and a .22-caliber rifle without a serial number.
Brenner pleaded guilty to possessing firearms on May 21 and has been sentenced to 33 months in prison for the charges.
Chief Deputy Cade Palmer of the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office, said on Thursday:
"When Dylan Rounds was not located early on in the search effort, the investigation focused on the possibility of Dylan being the victim of a crime,"
He continued:
"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."
Dylan's mother believes him to be the man responsible for her son's disappearance.
She said:
“I think James did something to him. I think he snapped and especially hearing more of it in court."
Brenner has been denied bail and has returned to the Weber County jail. His trial was earlier set for September. But he will return to state court Monday in Box Elder County. He’s also facing more gun violations.
Search for Dylan Rounds continues in Utah
19-year-old Dylan Rounds moved to Utah from his hometown of Idaho three years ago, and he last spoke to his parents on the morning of May 28 before his disappearance. His parents say he wanted to set up his farm and disappeared after traveling to his remote farmland to plant crops.
Dylan's boots were found in his field. His mother, Candice Cooley, said:
"The boots were found within the first hour, behind a pile of dirt just casually tossed out. He was very particular about his boots. He wears a pair, and it’s always the same pair. When they wear out, he goes and buys exactly the same boots.
A reward has been announced for anyone who provides any information about Dylan.
