Found Deceased UT - Dylan Rounds, 19, Lucin, Box Elder Co, May 2022 #2 *Arrest*

[Seattle1]

I'm not sure why the grandmother didn't call the parents right away. Do we know for sure that she didn't communicate with them? Maybe she didn't want to alarm them? Or thought he would turn up and there would be an explanation?

^^rsbm

As told by CC, in an effort not to alarm and/or worry DR's grandmother, she thinks the farm hands that responded to the grandmother's request to check in on DR most likely excused his absence during the rain to his grandmother knowing he couldn't farm.

Also, BOTH parents were unaware DR had not been in contact until Monday when CC received an inquiry about DR's whereabouts from his friend JD. MOO

 

[Encyclopediablue]

No tire traces leading to or from Rounds' red pickup vehicle were found, which Cooley claims was another suspicious discovery according to East Idaho News. It rained in Lucin the weekend he vanished, so if he had left and returned, the dirt would have been marked.

Rounds’ truck was also noticeably pressure-washed.

“There is no mud on the tires, there’s no mud on the rims but the wheel wells are full of mud like they’ve been driven in the rain,” Cooley told East Idaho News. “And when I got in the pickup…the seat was scooted up to the point I didn’t even have to move it to drive. I’m 4’11”, Dylan is 5’11” and every time I’ve ever gotten in Dylan’s pickup, I can’t reach the pedals.”

FBI Joins Search for Missing Utah Teen

Dylan Rounds has not been seen since May 28.

www.insideedition.com

It baffles me that anyone would have knowingly thought to or was even allowed to enter that vehicle knowing it was locked, pressure washed and had appeared been driven by someone other than DR.

Also interesting is the criticism that LE faced from this same person for how they handled the boots and didn’t treat anything like a crime scene but has not seemed to have cared that LE let the truck drive away.

The seat position is an interesting detail. MOO

I think the truck has significantly more importance to this case than those boots yet the boots seem to have gotten the most attention from family. I think LE agrees with that also and the dates around when the truck was finally in LE custody compared to when the case was referred to as a criminal investigation and FBI became involved backs that up. MOO.

 

[logical]

Who discovered the truck seat position, locked doors, and four wheel drive settings? If it wasn’t LE, was LE there when the discoveries were made?

 

[Limecat]

Who discovered the truck seat position, locked doors, and four wheel drive settings? If it wasn’t LE, was LE there when the discoveries were made?

According to the interview with East ID News Candice said that LE was present when they (Candice and maybe Dylan’s Dad, it was a little unclear) asked LE if it was all right for them to break the back window of Dylan’s truck because they didn‘t have a key. Paraphrasing, LE said, “it’s your truck you can do what you want.” So yes LE was present AFAIK.

 

[Encyclopediablue]

Clearly, the Ford truck wasn't washed for Saturday prom night -- it was washed to destroy evidence.

As for water use, DR had his own well, and I believe the water used here was from the retention pond that DR dug. Washing equipment is a normal farm practice and primarily why DR owned the pressure washer.

I've previously opined and agree with rush by the subject -- left the mud cake which may actually prove beneficial after forensic analysis. MOO

<modsnip>

Knowing many farmers, I can agree that they regularly wash their equipment as it’s often VERY expensive and often shared and even co-owned between farms and families so it’s part courtesy to keep the machinery cleaned but also ensures longevity and proper function to do what is needed to not have setbacks that could prove timely and VERY costly to the overall production and profit of a farm.

If Dylan had his own well what makes you believe water from the retention pond was what was used? I feel like that would be helpful in narrowing down the profile of someone who used that pressure washer. An average person might not know how to operate a pressure washer and those that do would probably default to using the well as the water source if they weren’t familiar with a retention pond as a source. JMO

 

[Encyclopediablue]

According to the interview with East ID News Candice said that LE was present when they (Candice and maybe Dylan’s Dad, it was a little unclear) asked LE if it was all right for them to break the back window of Dylan’s truck because they didn‘t have a key. Paraphrasing, LE said, “it’s your truck you can do what you want.” So yes LE was present AFAIK.

I believe you are correct. This is absolutely astounding they (LE) allowed that to happen. The seat position being what it was is…I’ll say odd. Same with the fact it was driven in the first place and taken out of state. I’d like to know the particulars of how it came back into possession of LE and what happened in between it left that farm and came back into possession of LE. Can’t seem to find much that CC has said about that for some reason.

It’s important to note that the case became classified as a criminal investigation shortly after (2 days I believe) the truck was back in LE possession. Which means it was not likely triggered by the discovery of, the placement of or the testing of those darn boots <modsnip> MOO

 

[HongKongPhooey]

I believe you are correct. This is absolutely astounding they (LE) allowed that to happen. The seat position being what it was is…I’ll say odd. Same with the fact it was driven in the first place and taken out of state. I’d like to know the particulars of how it came back into possession of LE and what happened in between it left that farm and came back into possession of LE. Can’t seem to find much that CC has said about that for some reason.

It’s important to note that the case became classified as a criminal investigation shortly after (2 days I believe) the truck was back in LE possession. Which means it was not likely triggered by the discovery of, the placement of or the testing of those darn boots <modsnip> MOO

The boots are part of the whole puzzle, based on what we know about Dylan would be wearing them. If we understood that, I feel the rest would follow.

 

[Seattle1]

I have always wished that Websleuths had a way to sort of "bulletin board" topics, as a way to keep track of them and mull thoughts in an empirical way. Such as: "All the things we know about the boots, and what they might mean". And: "All things related to the truck washing, and what they might point to", etc.

Trying to keep track of so many facts and ideas related to them without a "reference sheet", so to speak, makes it so unwieldy. Not sure how that would be done, though. ^^bbm

As WS is a facts-based forum, this response is specific to keeping track of factual information that's supported by WS-approved MSM-linked sources. IMO, no method for sorting "bulletin board" type topics, analysis, and/or speculation on the topics is intentional.

Generally, for most new WS threads, there will be a handful of dedicated members (myself included) that will open, maintain and/or update a MEDIA ONLY, MAPS, TIMELINES, NO DISCUSSION thread full of WS-approved links to factual information about the case.

But from the beginning, this missing person case has been different than our typical cases because the case started off with very mimimal MSM coverage until around June 16, when LE upgraded the suspicious missing person investigation to a missing, criminal investigation.

In other words, not until LE acknowledged that DR was not missing voluntarily, and foul play is likely involved.

Perhaps the lack of initial coverage can also be attributed to the very rural, desert location, DR going missing during a holiday weekend, or DR's age and noted independence.

A good example of the slow coverage start was the necessity to begin the thread by posting one-time exception Youtube videos by creators unknown to WS that gave DR's mother, CC, a platform to get her message out about her missing son.

However, without a transcript of the YT to link, we ultimately end up with numerous variations of one topic (i.e., depending on what each hears and how each personally interprets the audio).

While MSM coverage has definitely picked up since the FBI got involved, it seems that CC found her sweet spot for case updates with social media to reach the masses.

At this time, I think the best source for bulletin board-type details is the Official Find Dylon FB posts, specifically by CC and/or the Admin.

(Unfortunately, paraphrasing from the approved FB posts can also be time-consuming but copying and pasting from FB violates TOS). MOO

 

[LaborDayRN]

I’m probably being naive in hoping that he ran away to start a new life he knew his parents wouldn’t approve of, but it still seems like it’s possible.

Washing of the truck - his way of extending kindness by not leaving a dirty truck

Leaving behind of boots - he was walking away from his life

Phone call to both parents - saying goodbye without alarming them or them knowing he just wanted to hear their voices one more time. I wonder if he was on his way out when his grandma called.

Granted this is just wild speculation but so is any discussion since there seems to be a lack of evidence pointing to any one scenario.

And now I’m thinking of Madelynn Allen who went willingly to do things she knew her family/church would not approve of and it quickly turned into something less than consensual.

So maybe this is similar, maybe he had planned to go with someone he’d started a relationship but now he’s become a victim. He seems young and naive, probably even easy to manipulate and victimize.

I also hope that this is the case.

 

[LaborDayRN]

According to the interview with East ID News Candice said that LE was present when they (Candice and maybe Dylan’s Dad, it was a little unclear) asked LE if it was all right for them to break the back window of Dylan’s truck because they didn‘t have a key. Paraphrasing, LE said, “it’s your truck you can do what you want.” So yes LE was present AFAIK.

Goodness. I would think LE wouldn't want them to possibly contaminate a crime scene.

 

[SuziQ]

It baffles me that anyone would have knowingly thought to or was even allowed to enter that vehicle knowing it was locked, pressure washed and had appeared been driven by someone other than DR.

Also interesting is the criticism that LE faced from this same person for how they handled the boots and didn’t treat anything like a crime scene but has not seemed to have cared that LE let the truck drive away.

The seat position is an interesting detail. MOO

I think the truck has significantly more importance to this case than those boots yet the boots seem to have gotten the most attention from family. I think LE agrees with that also and the dates around when the truck was finally in LE custody compared to when the case was referred to as a criminal investigation and FBI became involved backs that up. MOO.

Imo, the family has expressed great dismay and been critical over the handling of the truck. It is LE's job to know how to handle potential evidence. They tried to get BECSO to pick up the truck. BECSO has flat out ignored the truck for some reason. Thankfully Idaho LE offered to pick up the truck and did so. So I don't think it is correct that the family only cares about the boots.

 

[kittythehare]

Imo, the family has expressed great dismay and been critical over the handling of the truck. It is LE's job to know how to handle potential evidence. They tried to get BECSO to pick up the truck. BECSO has flat out ignored the truck for some reason. Thankfully Idaho LE offered to pick up the truck and did so. So I don't think it is correct that the family only cares about the boots.

No it's not.
That family only cares about getting their much loved son home.
I have the height of respect for them.

 

[Limecat]

Goodness. I would think LE wouldn't want them to possibly contaminate a crime scene.

Exactly @LaborDayRN Worst still they let the family take the pickup ‘home’ and didn’t process it for some time! If it’s true that the vehicle was power-washed and the rear wheel wells were cleaned but the front wells not, to me that is further indication someone might have needed to destroy evidence in the bed/back of the truck. MOO

 

[Seattle1]

I believe you are correct. This is absolutely astounding they (LE) allowed that to happen. The seat position being what it was is…I’ll say odd. Same with the fact it was driven in the first place and taken out of state. I’d like to know the particulars of how it came back into possession of LE and what happened in between it left that farm and came back into possession of LE. Can’t seem to find much that CC has said about that for some reason.

It’s important to note that the case became classified as a criminal investigation shortly after (2 days I believe) the truck was back in LE possession. Which means it was not likely triggered by the discovery of, the placement of or the testing of those darn boots <modsnip> MOO

^^bbm

Since thread #2 only opened a couple of days ago, and no breaking news during this period, I believe OP will find answers to most questions being posed, in thread #1. (FYI, links to prior threads can be found on page one of every WS case thread).

To be clear, at no time between Monday, May 30, to Wednesday, June 15, has BECSO, or any other agency, taken possession of DR's 640-acre farm, or any assets on the farm, including the Red, Ford-150.

Chief Deputy Cade Palmer with the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office told KSL they were notified Dylan was missing on Monday. Volunteer search and rescue crews searched the area around his home on Monday and Tuesday.

Palmer said detectives followed up on leads on Wednesday and Thursday but came away without any new direction on his whereabouts. He says there is no evidence of foul play at this point, adding that the only thing suspicious is that—after four days—they have no new information. 6/3/22

On Monday, May 30, in response to DR's parents' (CC & JR) call that their 19-year-old son, DR, had been suspiciously out of touch since Saturday, May 28, and his whereabouts, for whatever reason, unknown, BECSO traveled to meet the parents at DR's 640-acre farm located in Lucin, UT.

According to CC, BECSO arrived at the farm shortly after 5 pm and left the property about 4.5 hours later.

CC provided that within 90 minutes of BECSO surveilling the farm property for DR, searchers located a pair of boots, identified by the parents as belonging to DR, behind a dirt mound located more than 5 miles from DR's trailer/camper & Ford truck where he resides.

Since the boots had what appeared to be a possible blood stain, the parents voluntarily handed over DR's boots to BECSO for presumptive lab testing for blood.

A few days later, following up on the lab tests, CC contacted BECSO and was shocked and dismayed to learn that DR's boots had remained in the boot of the detective's vehicle, not arriving at the lab until June 6.

As of this date, it's been confirmed the presumptive test on DR's boots came back proof positive for blood substance. It's still unknown if the blood stain is animal or human.

In response to a media inquiry about DR missing, as quoted above, BECSO Chief Palmer told KSL5 News that there was no evidence of foul play at this point, and DR's case was being treated as a missing person investigation.

Be advised that at no time since BECSO first entered the farm on Monday, May 30, did authorities treat any part of DR's 640-acre farm or its assets as a crime scene. There was no effort by BECSO to preserve any evidence, and aside from DR's boots, no evidence was collected from the farm.

As to why DR's Ford was driven to Idaho, be advised that with BECSO's blessing, JR busted out the rear window of the Ford to gain access to the truck cab, and the truck was then driven to Idaho to replace the window.

Again, absent any sign of foul play, the truck was never impounded or searched by BECSO but instead left in the care of DR's parents.

On Wednesday afternoon, June 15, BECSO issued a press release update on DR's case where for the first time, they stated that DR's case was an active law enforcement missing person/criminal investigation. No information was provided as to when or why the case was upgraded to include criminal status, but only that updates that do not have the potential to compromise the investigation will be released.

Fortunately, with the change in the investigation status, also came the assistance of the FBI. Most recently, during a joint interview with East Idaho News, the parents confirmed that authorities have since collected DR's trailer, camper, and the Ford-F150 also in the possession of ISP. As of June 22, the date of the joint interview, JR could not confirm if there were plans to collect any other equipment still located on the farm.

While pleased to see action on DR's case, especially from the FBI, the family regrets that 16 critical days passed before authorities agreed that DR missing is most likely the result of foul play. MOO

Desperate search for missing 19-year-old in Box Elder

A mother is desperate for answers in the search for her 19-year-old son as search and rescue crews work to find the teen who went missing in a small town in Box Elder County last week.

ksltv.com

Log into Facebook

Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

www.facebook.com

FBI now involved in Dylan Rounds case as his parents plead for help in first joint interview - East Idaho News

IDAHO FALLS — The FBI is now involved in the case of an eastern Idaho man who disappeared from a remote farm near the Utah/Nevada border nearly a month ago. Dylan Rounds, 19, had been farming in the desert town of Lucin, Utah during summer months over the past few years. His grandmother last spoke …

www.eastidahonews.com

 

[MsBetsy]

<modsnip>

Knowing many farmers, I can agree that they regularly wash their equipment as it’s often VERY expensive and often shared and even co-owned between farms and families so it’s part courtesy to keep the machinery cleaned but also ensures longevity and proper function to do what is needed to not have setbacks that could prove timely and VERY costly to the overall production and profit of a farm.

If Dylan had his own well what makes you believe water from the retention pond was what was used? I feel like that would be helpful in narrowing down the profile of someone who used that pressure washer. An average person might not know how to operate a pressure washer and those that do would probably default to using the well as the water source if they weren’t familiar with a retention pond as a source. JMO

Imo, the family has expressed great dismay and been critical over the handling of the truck. It is LE's job to know how to handle potential evidence. They tried to get BECSO to pick up the truck. BECSO has flat out ignored the truck for some reason. Thankfully Idaho LE offered to pick up the truck and did so. So I don't think it is correct that the family only cares about the boots.

I don't think the family cares most about the boots either. It may seem like that since so many on their FB page have questions about it. She answered just as many questions about the grain truck and whether it was searched. It's obvious that what they care most about is finding Dylan.

I don't think I've seen a parent in a missing person's investigation so determined and focused only on facts. She reminds me of Molly Tibbet's parents. When she went missing, her dad took on the role of spokesperson and kept her story in the media. He was always calm and never emotional.

Candice has said many times that her family has never done this before. Nobody knows what to do in this situation, so they depend on police. They must have trusted LE, so they took the truck to get the window replaced. At that time they thought he would be found.

If LE didn't think the seat position, power washing, locked doors, etc was evidence enough then I don't know what more the parents could have done at that point.

 

[Emerald1328]

Does anyone know how far away the pressure washer was found in relation to the truck? Was it near the truck or some distance away? If it wasn’t near the truck, could Dylan have pressure washed all of it himself prior to that day, or that morning, but then driven it to the camper during the rain? If the ground was muddy from the rain, it could have accounted for the wheels being the only thing muddy. Of course, the same scenario could apply if someone else washed it and drove it to the camper in the rain.

 

[fridaybaker]

Seattle,
Thank you for the excellent synopsis! It’s so useful to have a basic timeline and major points about this case in one place. Would so love your post to be placed and remain at the top of each thread on this case for reference, much as the moderator’s comments are.

 

[fridaybaker]

Does anyone know how far away the pressure washer was found in relation to the truck? Was it near the truck or some distance away? If it wasn’t near the truck, could Dylan have pressure washed all of it himself prior to that day, or that morning, but then driven it to the camper during the rain? If the ground was muddy from the rain, it could have accounted for the wheels being the only thing muddy. Of course, the same scenario could apply if someone else washed it and drove it to the camper in the rain.

Emerald, I believe that Dylan “never washed his truck”, as most people don’t in that area. However, it’s certainly always possible if it had gotten particularly covered in mud or something.

I sort of find probabilities helpful when trying to figure out what happened although of course they could be wrong. However, here is a guy who “never” washed his truck but it is washed; who “didn’t lock it”, but it was locked; who used the seat set back but it was set forward; who knew the 4-wheel drive was broken but it was set to 4-wheel drive.

I’m working off the idea, at this point, that someone other than Dylan drove the truck. I really think something terrible happened. I just hope he’s alive.

 

[Seattle1]

Teen Farmer Missing From Utah Ghost Town, Family Suspects Foul Play | Oxygen Official Site

Federal agents are stepping in to help uncover what happened to a budding farmer who disappeared from his rural Utah farm.

www.oxygen.com

6/24/22

Federal agents are stepping in to help uncover what happened to a budding farmer who disappeared from his rural Utah farm.

Dylan Rounds, 19, was last heard from on May 28 after he spoke to his grandmother on the phone, according to East Idaho News. Dylan, who is from eastern Idaho, lived alone on his farm in Lucin, Utah — in the northwest part of the state near the Nevada state border — and hasn’t been heard from since.

According to his parents, there has been no activity on Dylan’s cell phone or bank accounts since Dylan disappeared.

FBI spokeswoman Sandra Barker confirmed to East Idaho News that they are joining the search for Rounds. The Box Elder Sheriff’s Office previously stated on June 15 that they’re “making continual efforts to locate Dylan Rounds and to investigate the circumstances surrounding his disappearance.”

The sheriff’s office also announced they have every detective in their department working on the case, according to East Idaho News.

 

[Emerald1328]

Emerald, I believe that Dylan “never washed his truck”, as most people don’t in that area. However, it’s certainly always possible if it had gotten particularly covered in mud or something.

I sort of find probabilities helpful when trying to figure out what happened although of course they could be wrong. However, here is a guy who “never” washed his truck but it is washed; who “didn’t lock it”, but it was locked; who used the seat set back but it was set forward; who knew the 4-wheel drive was broken but it was set to 4-wheel drive.

I’m working off the idea, at this point, that someone other than Dylan drove the truck. I really think something terrible happened. I just hope he’s alive.

Oh I agree it’s unlikely Dylan washed it. I’m just trying to account for why the wheels were muddy and the rest was clean. It doesn’t seem to be much of a stretch to me to think someone (whether Dylan or, more likely, another player that may be responsible for his disappearance) washed the whole truck but by the time it was washed, it had started raining and the ground got muddy which got the tires muddy. In this scenario, it would narrow down the timeframe to something happening to Dylan before it started raining, or at least before the ground may have gotten saturated with rain. This whole theory is blown out of the water if the pressure washer was near the truck of course.