Human remains found in Luling; officials don't believe linked to Jason Landry case
LULING, Texas - Luling police are working to identify human remains found by a family dog last week.
Guardians of the dog "Laika," named after the first dog to orbit Earth, asked FOX 7 Austin to remain anonymous. They told FOX 7 Austin the dog brought bones to the family’s yard over the course of several days. Initially they assumed the bones belonged to an animal.
They did not realize the bones were human until they located a skull underneath a trampoline while mowing the lawn.
They called the Luling Police Department around 5:45 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 9.
Luling Police Chief W.J. "Bill" Salas said he contacted the District Attorney immediately, as the bones were located only a few miles from where Texas State student Jason Landry is believed to have disappeared in 2020.
Landry is the Texas State student who disappeared near Luling in December 2020.
He then contacted the Texas Attorney General’s Office’s Cold Case Unit, which is investigating Landry’s case and Texas Search and Rescue, also known as TEXSAR.
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Searchers placed a tracker on Laika, but it did not yield results. They looked for the remaining bones Friday without success.
Around 1:45 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, they found more remains inside a small three-sided metal shelter in the woods, about 100 yards from the family’s home.
"It was obviously an abandoned structure. But, there was a small tent inside and some food cans and other bottles and things," Salas explained.
He said investigators believe the person may have been homeless, but "don’t know anything for sure."
"There are no evident signs of foul play or suspicious activity at this point," he added.
Martha Enriquez’s yard borders the property where the remains were found. Using Google Translate she said she is, "very surprised we never saw or heard anything"
The remains are being sent to the Center for Human Identification. However, law enforcement has already ruled out Landry using dental records.
"When they examined the photographs initially the upper jaw did not have any teeth in it, to the point where the jaw had started to basically heal itself. So, they suspected it was an older person," said Salas.