TX TX - Jason Landry, 21, enroute from TSU to home, car found crashed at Luling, 14 Dec 2020 #6

[Seattle1]

More on the early efforts to locate JL beginning hours after daybreak on Dec 14, 2020 -- the same date he was reported missing.

One week later, search continues for missing Texas State student

Dec 21, 2020

LULING, Texas - Moving the investigation into the disappearance of 21-year-old Jason Landry forward required going back to the beginning. It was a combined effort involving a ground search by members of TEXSAR and Texas EquuSearch and an aerial search by drone expert Gene Robinson.

[..]

A week of no answers from previous search teams didn’t discourage Robinson. "No, we don’t think the trail is cold at all," said Robinson.

[..]

The Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office took over the investigation Friday.

Last week was filled with false hope, which had detectives branching out from the crash scene on Monday. Access to Landry‘s vehicle was restricted, indicating it’s being re-examined.

[..]

The quickest answer may be provided by the technology being used by Robinson. He has a special tracking program that analyzes video from the drones. That includes infrared imaging which Robinson demonstrate to FOX 7 a few years ago. It’s able to identify ground that has been disturbed and heat signatures from bodies.

"As a matter of fact, we are doing research with Texas State University where he was going to school that has shown us that yes we can do some detection with FLIR, up to three weeks after the time so I don’t feel this is gone cold at all," said Robinson.

The aerial mapping failed to turn up anything Monday. A larger ground search is expected to take place Tuesday.

[..]



Missing Person - Jason Landry - Texas Search and Rescue

Dec 21, 2020

TEXSAR has worked alongside the authorities in Caldwell County since the initial search began on Monday, December 14th in the Search for Jason Landry. There have been 151 participants that have deployed to the search throughout the week.

TEXSAR teams have included: search and rescue K9’s trained in live finds and human remains detection; the Mounted Search and Rescue team; UAV/drones and their operating technicians, experts in ground search and rescue and mantracking, side scan sonar, water search resources, and most recently helicopter and fixed wing aircraft.

TEXSAR members have volunteered an estimated 906 hours to this mission and driven in from all over the state to aid in the search

TEXSAR would like to express our appreciation to the Caldwell County Office of Emergency Management, Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office, Texas DPS, Texas Game Wardens and the community. This is an ongoing investigation and TEXSAR remains dedicated to supporting the search for Jason Landry with our public safety partners in Caldwell County and are prepared to do whatever we can to assist.

 

[K9Enzo]

One thing I've never understood is the "wild hog" theory. While it's true there is a good population of feral hogs in that area in TX, the area Landry's vehicle was found in is not an area feral hogs would be living in, it's not the right habitat. And this wasn't someone who was left in the wild for weeks, or even days, before he was being looked for.

Feral hogs would likely scavenge a dead body that was sadly not located during searches. IMO

 

[Texas_Lexus]

Respectfully, many questions being asked now were addressed in significant detail earlier and/or during the first months of JL's missing person investigation - some confirmed and/or corrected as CCSO released details to the public prefacing the family's request for the AG to join the investigation.

Relative to the feral hogs, this was a surprising fact to me in 2020. Reportedly, it's true about the ecological and property damage caused by wild hogs in neighboring counties including Caldwell to the degree that the hog population is worthy of a grant or hog bounty for Caldwell County. Most recently, the CCSO also named wild hogs in his theory of what may have happened to JL's remains.

Jan 25, 2022 Bounty offered in two Texas counties for feral hogs

In 2020, the Feral Hog Task Force was able to help remove nearly 2,900 swine from Hays, Caldwell, and Guadalupe counties through bounty programs, trapping kits for landowners, aerial gunning operations and educational programming.

An estimated $1,438,500 in ecological and property damage was mitigated through a $37,500 investment in the feral hog bounty programs in those counties during that time period.

The 2022 Caldwell County feral hog bounty may be claimed on the third Thursday of each month from February 17 until July 21.

Jan 14, 2022 New details released in search for missing Texas State student

Searchers wear GPS trackers while looking for Landry. They have used drones to isolate white pixels and locate - so far, all have been animal. They also used drones to identify maggots feeding on decomposition. Ferry believes Landry’s remains were likely consumed by feral hogs or river otters. He said it is also possible Landry climbed inside an oil tank.

I have no clue what an oil tank looks like but would it be hard to climb into? I guess I’m picturing some huge structure with ladders to access it.

 

[Seattle1]

I have no clue what an oil tank looks like but would it be hard to climb into? I guess I’m picturing some huge structure with ladders to access it.

Your image is not far off from the truth but there are typically stairs versus ladders. Take note most of the oil tanks have since been drained under routine maintenance and by spring 2022, 100% of the tanks will have been drained since JL missing where all can be eliminated.

Pumpjack / pump jack operating at an onshore oil well in Texas, United States / USA Stock Photo - Alamy

 

[Texas_Lexus]

Your image is not far off from the truth but there are typically stairs versus ladders. Take note most of the oil tanks have since been drained under routine maintenance and by spring 2022, 100% of the tanks will have been drained since JL missing where all can be eliminated.

Pumpjack / pump jack operating at an onshore oil well in Texas, United States / USA Stock Photo - Alamy

Thank you for the picture! That’s pretty much what I thought they looked like.

 

[Mommy2411]

Are there any planned searches for the future? U feel so bad for the family. Unfortunately I don’t think he is alive. They should have done things do differently when they found his car.

 

[5W's]

One thing I've never understood is the "wild hog" theory. While it's true there is a good population of feral hogs in that area in TX, the area Landry's vehicle was found in is not an area feral hogs would be living in, it's not the right habitat. And this wasn't someone who was left in the wild for weeks, or even days, before he was being looked for.

You know this makes sense what you've said here I'm sure the feral hogs wouldn't like the smell of the oil wells 24/7. That's what I've said earlier it was like minutes if put into perspective an hour I believe with the VFF. But that's a perspective I hadn't thought of is the feral hogs not choosing this area.

 

[Valiant]

I would not think there has to be an opening for a Jason to cross the fence and get out of the road.
I know growing up the "barbed wire fence" that successfully kept cattle in was very easy for a person to cross. Without driving down that road and seeing the fence, I personally don't think there had to be a break in the fence to allow Jason to cross the fence line.

 

[Ilex]

I would not think there has to be an opening for a Jason to cross the fence and get out of the road.
I know growing up the "barbed wire fence" that successfully kept cattle in was very easy for a person to cross. Without driving down that road and seeing the fence, I personally don't think there had to be a break in the fence to allow Jason to cross the fence line.

From the arrangement of his clothing, it looks like he may have headed up the road and into one of the fields. I know Texas has a problem with orphaned wells. I wonder if he may have stumbled into a well. They found his car so quickly, and searches were done within hours, it would seem it should have been found. Heat sensing drones were used, dogs, it doesn't make sense that he wouldn't have been easily found. Either someone picked him up where the dogs lost his scent or he fell into a well.

 

[Texas_Lexus]

Anybody remember Baby Jessica McClure, the little girl who fell into a well over 30 years ago. I can’t remember how they knew exactly where she was and if someone saw her fall in.

 

[Texas_Lexus]

Anybody remember Baby Jessica McClure, the little girl who fell into a abandoned well over 30 years ago. I can’t remember how they knew exactly where she was and if someone saw her fall in.

I remember watching her being rescued on live tv.

 

[Seattle1]

Can you clarify what you mean by 'secured.' At the moment, LE thought the driver had fled to avoid a DUI, so (I guess) they assumed there was no crime and they didn't take the usual procedures to secure the area. Jason's dad was able to get in the car because it was unlocked (since Jason had exited the driver's side when he left), which he said was a relief, because he had forgotten to take the spare set from home and was concerned about how he would be able to get inside.

While JL missing was indeed the worst-case scenario, I understand why LE acted as they did initially: Investigators learned the subject was 21 yrs old, believed in the Luling because he was driving to the Houston area for the holiday break. Under typical conditions where the driver voluntarily abandons their vehicle on a desolate county road, I think it was reasonable to think JL called a mate to collect him (he was only about 24 miles from campus).

Nonetheless, I think by early morning when it was becoming clear that JL abandoning his wrecked vehicle was far from the typical, I think CCSO should have taken over the investigation sooner than later -- which they've acknowledged.

Regardless of LE's actions, I don't think JL was the victim of a crime. I also don't see a passerby-- let alone a criminal-- leaving the valuable contents of JL's backpack behind. Praying JL's remains will be recovered and his family can have closure. MOO

 

[SimplyCass]

Are there any planned searches for the future? U feel so bad for the family. Unfortunately I don’t think he is alive. They should have done things do differently when they found his car.

Texas Equusearch has said they won't conduct any more searches unless they get new, credible leads. That's where all the drone searching and algorithms are being used to try to narrow down new pockets to focus on.

 

[Texas_Lexus]

While JL missing was indeed the worst-case scenario, I understand why LE acted as they did initially: Investigators learned the subject was 21 yrs old, believed in the Luling because he was driving to the Houston area for the holiday break. Under typical conditions where the driver voluntarily abandons their vehicle on a desolate county road, I think it was reasonable to think JL called a mate to collect him (he was only about 24 miles from campus).

Nonetheless, I think by early morning when it was becoming clear that JL abandoning his wrecked vehicle was far from the typical, I think CCSO should have taken over the investigation sooner than later -- which they've acknowledged.

Regardless of LE's actions, I don't think JL was the victim of a crime. I also don't see a passerby-- let alone a criminal-- leaving the valuable contents of JL's backpack behind. Praying JL's remains will be recovered and his family can have closure. MOO

I couldn't agree more with the above. I listened to the entire dispatch audio and watched Trooper Flores' dashcam from the night JL went missing. When the VFF called in to report the accident, they did a lot of things right: Trooper Flores was dispatched to the scene, he ran the plates, contacted JL's parents who happened to be the registered owners of the Altima, he asked the parents if they had been in contact with JL that day, he informed the parents that marijuana was found in the backpack (no judging here, but if it had simply been a potential DUI and ditched vehicle - that would be important information. If it were my child, I would want to be told the truth about that, even if it was hard to accept), the dispatcher contacted Verizon to try to see if there were on any pings on the cell tower - I found it interesting because the Verizon rep said there was a ping on nearby Hoover St, but it was from 2016, TXST university police were contacted to attempt a welfare check, there was some searching done for JL before sun up. But I never understood why the vehicle was towed so quickly. I remember when JL's dad arrived at SFR after leaving the Houston area around 2:30 AM, he said he didn't understand why nobody was looking for JL and he even had his wife stay home just in case JL found another way home.

But, under the circumstances, I can see why they initially took the route they did. College student in possession of marijuana wrecks a car belonging to his parents and isn't anywhere to be found. They probably assumed that he would turn up somewhere eventually. But its hard to think about those precious hours following the discovery of his car when searches could've been fruitful.

 

[Seattle1]

If it were my child, I would want to be told the truth about that, even if it was hard to accept), the dispatcher contacted Verizon to try to see if there were on any pings on the cell tower - I found it interesting because the Verizon rep said there was a ping on nearby Hoover St, but it was from 2016,

^^rsbbm

I'm not understanding OP's comment about Verizon providing a ping from 2016?? Can you please clarify -- thank you.

Also, relative to Tx DPS (Trooper Flores) requesting the abandoned vehicle collected from the county roadway, that is protocol pursuant to state code.

TRANSPORTATION CODE CHAPTER 683. ABANDONED MOTOR VEHICLES

ETA: While not ideal if a criminal investigation, we do know the vehicle was later restricted and re-examined for evidence.


The Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office took over the investigation Friday.

Last week was filled with false hope, which had detectives branching out from the crash scene on Monday. Access to Landry‘s vehicle was restricted, indicating it’s being re-examined.

 

[Gemmie]

^^rsbbm

I'm not understanding OP's comment about Verizon providing a ping from 2016?? Can you please clarify -- thank you.

Also, relative to Tx DPS (Trooper Flores) requesting the abandoned vehicle collected from the county roadway, that is protocol pursuant to state code.

TRANSPORTATION CODE CHAPTER 683. ABANDONED MOTOR VEHICLES

ETA: While not ideal if a criminal investigation, we do know the vehicle was later restricted and re-examined for evidence.


The Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office took over the investigation Friday.

Last week was filled with false hope, which had detectives branching out from the crash scene on Monday. Access to Landry‘s vehicle was restricted, indicating it’s being re-examined.

I remember that from one of the dispatch audio recordings, but don't recall if the term used was a ping, but it might have been. Whatever it was dispatch was asked to check out something or other (maybe it was any welfare calls in that area?) and all that came back was an old (2016) welfare check. Anyway, once I heard that I had done some research with the long/lat given in the dispatch call. I just looked at my browsing history and found 1251 Hoover Street.

I'm thinking @Texas_Lexus can clear that up? Maybe she has the time of that part of the audio handy. I remember the source and it was a news article that had a bunch of audio and vid recordings on it. Too many for me to go back and listen to them all again to get the actual verbiage.

Looking at the date of that 1251 Hoover St search in my history I found the MSN that I heard it on (below). Sorry that I can't point out exactly which recording it was, but I do remember the convo with dispatch asking for info about calls in that area.

New details released in search for missing Texas State student

 

[Texas_Lexus]

I remember that from one of the dispatch audio recordings, but don't recall if the term used was a ping, but it might have been. Whatever it was dispatch was asked to check out something or other (maybe it was any welfare calls in that area?) and all that came back was an old (2016) welfare check. Anyway, once I heard that I had done some research with the long/lat given in the dispatch call. I just looked at my browsing history and found 1251 Hoover Street.

I'm thinking @Texas_Lexus can clear that up? Maybe she has the time of that part of the audio handy. I remember the source and it was a news article that had a bunch of audio and vid recordings on it. Too many for me to go back and listen to them all again to get the actual verbiage.

Looking at the date of that 1251 Hoover St search in my history I found the MSN that I heard it on (below). Sorry that I can't point out exactly which recording it was, but I do remember the convo with dispatch asking for info about calls in that area.

New details released in search for missing Texas State student

I just listened to the audio again and the Verizon rep gave latitude and longitude coordinates for 1251 Hoover st. Amber and April with CCSO were the ones on the audio. But we know that JL phone was in the car stuck between the seat and the console and wasn’t on his person where ever he went that night. That’s about the best I can understand regarding Hoover st. And something was mentioned about a house at that address but it had been several years since CCSO dealt with that address. Think it was something to do with a burn ban.

 

[Seattle1]

I remember that from one of the dispatch audio recordings, but don't recall if the term used was a ping, but it might have been. Whatever it was dispatch was asked to check out something or other (maybe it was any welfare calls in that area?) and all that came back was an old (2016) welfare check. Anyway, once I heard that I had done some research with the long/lat given in the dispatch call. I just looked at my browsing history and found 1251 Hoover Street.

I'm thinking @Texas_Lexus can clear that up? Maybe she has the time of that part of the audio handy. I remember the source and it was a news article that had a bunch of audio and vid recordings on it. Too many for me to go back and listen to them all again to get the actual verbiage.

Looking at the date of that 1251 Hoover St search in my history I found the MSN that I heard it on (below). Sorry that I can't point out exactly which recording it was, but I do remember the convo with dispatch asking for info about calls in that area.

New details released in search for missing Texas State student

Thank you for your response.

Seems to me there were two separate issues and only one of them involved Verizon: 1) The TxDPS officer (Trooper Flores) requested dispatch get the last ping of JL's phone (mom provided carrier as Verizon), and 2) Trooper requested dispatch relay to San Marcos PD to conduct a welfare check at victim's residence in San Marcos.

Still not clear to me what the year 2016 has to do with either issue and why I requested OP clarify this statement in their post.

My google search today of 1251 Hoover St comes back as the address of Luling Well Service, Inc.

LULING WELL SERVICE, INC. is a taxpayer registed with Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. The taxpayer number is #15105551947. The business address is 1251 Hoover St, Luling, TX 78648.

Luling Well Service, Inc. · 1251 Hoover St, Luling, TX 78648

 

[Texas_Lexus]

CCSO contacts Verizon around the 18-ish minute mark on the dispatch call audio. It’s after that when 1251 Hoover st Is mentioned. Hope that helps!

 

[Seattle1]

CCSO contacts Verizon around the 18-ish minute mark on the dispatch call audio. It’s after that when 1251 Hoover st Is mentioned. Hope that helps!

Thanks. I just wanted to know what OP's reference to the year 2016 had to do with this investigation.