Authorities have stated that the man accused of murdering 19-year-old Dylan Rounds has agreed to a plea agreement. In a significant development, the accused individual also led authorities to the burial site on Wednesday.
James Brenner, aged 60, has pleaded guilty to second-degree felony murder in the death of Rounds, as well as two counts of possession of a firearm by a restricted person, according to a news release from the Box Elder County District Attorney’s Office.
According to KTVX, the agreement also states that the sentences for each of the individual charges will be served consecutively.
On March 3, 2023, the sheriff’s office formally charged Brenner with aggravated murder and abuse or desecration of a human body.
“It doesn’t completely eliminate the issue, but the court aspect and the constant worry of ‘What will happen? When will it happen? What if it doesn’t happen?’ can finally be put to rest,” expressed Candice Cooley, mother of Rounds, in an interview with KSTU-TV.
Brenner confessed in court on Wednesday at the First District Court in Brigham City that he had fired multiple shots at Rounds, resulting in a head injury, according to a report by East Idaho News.
The discovery of human remains in northern Utah has brought renewed hope in the search for missing teenager Dylan Rounds. Authorities strongly believe that these remains belong to the long-missing teen. This development has provided a glimmer of closure for his grieving family, who have been desperately searching for answers for years.
According to a report by KSL, Rounds disappeared in the vicinity of his residence in Lucin, Utah, around May 28, 2022. Lucin is situated near the Utah-Nevada border. As per the information provided by his family, he was last spotted in Montello, Nevada, which is located 30 miles west of Lucin. Rounds had recently relocated from Idaho to Montello with the intention of establishing his own farm, as stated by KSTU.
On April 9, 2024, authorities uncovered skeletal remains in Lucin, a quaint town situated about 200 miles northwest of Salt Lake City.
According to KSL, police reported that Brenner was living in a trailer and was the closest neighbor to Rounds when she disappeared.
