When were Jacob Lyon's remains identified?

Jacob Lyon's remains were identified on January 26, following their discovery on October 20, 2022.

How long was Jacob Lyon missing before his remains were found?

Jacob Lyon was reported missing in February 2016, meaning he was missing for at least three months before being last seen and his remains were discovered over six years later.

What made identifying Jacob Lyon's remains difficult?

DNA testing on the skeletal remains was complex due to degradation over time, environmental exposure, and limited genetic material, prolonging the identification process for over two years.

Home / Crime and Justice / Florida Cold Case Solved: Teen Missing Since 2015 Found

Florida Cold Case Solved: Teen Missing Since 2015 Found

28 Jan

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Summary

Skeletal remains found in Miramar Beach identified as missing teen Jacob Lyon.
Jacob Lyon was reported missing in February 2016, last seen three months prior.
DNA testing complexity prolonged the identification of remains by over two years.

Florida Cold Case Solved: Teen Missing Since 2015 Found

In Florida, a significant breakthrough has been achieved in a cold case investigation spanning over a decade. Skeletal remains discovered in Miramar Beach on October 20, 2022, have been definitively identified as Jacob Lyon, a teenager who was reported missing in February 2016. At the time he was last seen, Lyon was 19 years old.

The discovery was made by a man clearing a wooded area, who stumbled upon the skeletal fragments. The District 1 Medical Examiner's office dedicated two years to identifying the remains. Due to the complexities of DNA testing on degraded and environmentally exposed samples, the Walton County Sheriff's Office sent additional samples to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for advanced testing, a process that can take a considerable amount of time.