A VOLUNTEER searching for missing Dylan Rounds is relieved a suspect has finally been charged in connection with the teen farmer's believed murder - but he vows to never give up looking for him.
James Brenner, 59, was charged on Friday with first-degree murder and abuse or desecration of a body in connection with the disappearance of 19-year-old Dylan Rounds.
5
5
Dylan hasn't been seen or heard from since the morning of May 28 whenhe called his grandmother as he worked on his farm in the remote town of Lucin, in northwest Utah.
At the time, Brenner - the sole suspect in the case - was squatting on a remote property close to where Rounds lived.
Over the course of a nine-month investigation, police found a bloodied pair of Dylan's boots discarded five miles from his farm that allegedly had Brenner's DNA on them.
Dylan's cell phone also pinged for the last time near the area where Brenner was squatting and a recovered time-lapse videofrom the device is alleged to show a blood-covered Brenner cleaning a gun.
Read More Crime Stories
Crucially, Dylan's body has still not been found.
But Lance Kelly, who has been scouring the Utah and Nevada desert every day for months in search of answers for the Rounds family, told The U.S. Sun he will never give up until the teen is brought home.
The 33-year-old made a promise to Dylan's father, Justin Rounds, days after his disappearance, vowing to find him.
And that's a promise he intends to keep, he said.
Most read in The US Sun
CALLING FOUL Outrage as high school principal 'gives mascot lap dance' at pep rally
CON-FLICT Kellyanne Conway's daughter hits back after posting 'MAGA's most hated' selfie
WINDOW TO THE WALZ Embarrassing moment DNC roll call descends into chaos with Lil Jon
VEEP SWIPE Harris snubs Obamas at DNC - weeks after they were late to endorse her
"My reaction to the news of [of Brenner being charged] was a mixture of emotions," Lance began.
"I was shocked to learn that Brenner [allegedly] filmed himself with Dylan's phone, cleaning possibly the murder weapon, and realizing how Dylan could've met his demise I was filled with sadness.
"I'm glad however that there will be justice in Dylan's case, and I hope the prosecution is able to make a deal with him so he tells them where Dylan is."
Lance added: "We are still going searching where we can this winter because we have gotten record amounts of snow.
"But as spring comes we will be able to access more areas and we are still actively working with law enforcement on this investigation.
"Our promise to Justin remains true."
A SACRED VOW
Lance revealed in a previous interview that he first learned of Dylan's disappearance just a few days after the teen vanished.
By chance, at around the same time, he then met Dylan's father, Justin, who had come into a food bank in nearby Montello, Nevada, where he was volunteering, seeking information about his son.
"I've never seen someone so devastated before," Lance recounted. "You could just see he was in an extreme amount of pain, an unimaginable amount of pain, just not knowing where his son was.
"He was definitely fighting back tears, and he did eventually cry - it was hard not to.
"I have two young ones myself, so it really affected me emotionally too.
"It got to me seeing how cut up his family was. So my friend [Ty Corbin] and I were part of the fire department at the time, and we told Justin we'd organize a search over the Nevada side of the border, and that's how it all got started."
Unable to comprehend losing a child of his own, Lance assured Justin that he and Ty wouldn't stop looking for Dylan until they found him.
"That was the last thing I said to Dylan's dad before he left town and I'm not going back on my word," he said.
Almost every day since, Lance and Ty have ventured out into the desert for several hours to look for clues as to where Dylan may be, or where he may have gone.
Recently, they've turned their attention to exploring caves and the many abandoned mineshafts around the Montello and Lucin areas.
5
5
5
Lance and Ty document their search efforts on their YouTube page,Earthworm Entertainment.
"We usually go out in the early morning and come back around three or four," Lance said of his daily search attempts.
"We head up to the mines up here in the mountains because those would've been pretty accessible to [Dylan] and the washes too.
"One thing people say around here is if you want to get rid of a body you do it in the wash or you do it in the mineshafts.
"There are so many mineshafts out here, and a bunch of them aren't even listed - it's a big task," he added.
"I think we just need to keep going and doing what we're doing, and I think one day we'll be able to bring him home.
"So that's the attitude I'm having. Every day we don't find him, that's just another place we can cross off the list."
'JUSTICE IS COMING'
Dylan's family had suspected foul play from the beginning, telling the media he wouldn't just go "walking out into the desert."
"Dylan was out building his life," his mom Candice Cooley toldPEOPLEback in June.
"His lifelong dream was to have his own farm. He has spent the last two summers ripping out and redeveloping that ground on his own. He got his water rights. He did everything."
She added: "As hard as it is, and as much as I hate to say it, I'm about 99 percent sure somebody murdered my son."
In a statement over the weekend, the Box Elder County Attorney's Office announced it had formally filed charges against Brenner in connection with Rounds' case.
He faces one first-degree felony and one third-degree felony for "the murder of Dylan Rounds and the disposal of his body."
"These charges come after a difficult and extensive 9-month investigation by the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office, and are supported by the information that has been gathered and evidence collected. The evidence supports that James Brenner is the only suspect," a press release from the attorney's office read.
"Although the remains of Dylan Rounds have yet to be located, we are hopeful that they will be found in the future."
Investigators also said they interviewed Brenner, and he "made several claims that corroborated forensic evidence in addition to making numerous demonstrably false statements."
In a statement, Rounds' mother thanked law enforcement for their hard work and asked for continued prayers as the probe continues.
"Justin [Dylan's father] and I would like to thank everyone for the support you have shown us as we focus on finding answers in the disappearance of Dylan," said Candice in a written statement.
Read More on The US Sun
"The charges are based on solid evidence that has been released by Box Elder.
"We ask you continue your thoughts and prayers for justice for Dylan and that we can bring him home."
