NEWTON COUNTY, TX — What appear to be human remains were found Thursday morning in a wooded area near the place where Joshua Larkin disappeared in November 2022, prompting a large law enforcement response in Newton County.
A forester made the discovery around 9 a.m. off FM 82, also called Forestry Road, east of Kirbyville and close to the Newton County line. Deputies and Sheriff Colton Havard responded and made a preliminary determination that the remains, including a skull, appear to be those of an adult human.
Investigators have not said the remains are Larkin’s. Havard said forensic testing will be needed before anyone can draw conclusions about the identity or what happened in the wooded area.
Discovery made near the Wildlife Cat Refuge and last known location
The site is not far from the Wildlife Cat Refuge, where Larkin was last seen nearly four years ago. That proximity quickly focused attention on whether the find could be connected to one of the county’s most closely watched missing-person cases.
Even with that connection, authorities have been careful not to identify the remains. Havard declined to speculate and said investigators need lab results and additional information before making any determination.
The discovery has reopened painful questions around the long-running case, but officials say the answer will depend on scientific testing rather than assumptions based on location alone.
University of North Texas will handle DNA identification
The remains are expected to be sent next week to the University of North Texas for DNA identification. Havard said the timeline for results could stretch for months, depending on the lab’s backlog.
That process is now the key step in determining whether the remains match Larkin or belong to someone else. Until then, investigators say they cannot confirm the identity.
The emphasis on testing reflects how little is known so far beyond the initial field assessment. Officials have not described the condition of the remains beyond noting that a skull was among what was found.
Texas Rangers and local agencies join the search response
The discovery drew a major response from investigators across Southeast Texas. Texas Rangers and crime scene investigators are assisting Newton County authorities at the scene.
Also involved are the Newton Police Department, the Newton County District Attorney’s Office, the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office and the Jasper County District Attorney’s Office. Texas Department of Criminal Justice cadaver dogs have been brought in to search the area as well.
The broad response signals the seriousness of the case and the possibility that the wooded area could still hold additional evidence. Officials have not said what, if anything, has been recovered beyond the remains themselves.
Larkin disappearance still tied to active criminal case
Larkin’s disappearance remains under criminal investigation. Five men are charged with evidence tampering in connection with the case, according to authorities.
Two men previously faced murder charges, but those charges were recently dropped. Investigators have not linked Thursday’s discovery to any new charges, and no one has been accused of the remains’ discovery.
The case has drawn attention for years because of the unanswered questions surrounding Larkin’s last known whereabouts and the sequence of events that followed his disappearance.
What investigators hope to learn from the wooded-area find
Authorities say the discovery could become a critical piece of evidence, but only if DNA testing confirms the identity and helps place the remains in context. If they are linked to Larkin, investigators would still need to determine how they came to be in the wooded area and whether other evidence nearby can help explain the disappearance.
For now, the investigation remains active. Officials said more information is expected as forensic work continues and the remains are examined.
The case has now moved from a search for answers in a missing-person file to a possible recovery that may finally clarify what happened in 2022, though police say confirmation is still ahead.
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