Remains Found in Pit on Tree Farm in Midland Linked to Missing Teens from 2015

MIDLAND, TX. – Officials with the Midland County Sheriff's Office say remains found in a pit on a tree farm in Midland County is possibly a female. Officials believe there are more remains, and they could belong to two teenagers who went missing in 2015. 

Investigators received some information about bodies buried in a pit in Midland County. Officials called a search and rescue K-9 Team out of Stephenville. Three dogs gave a positive notification on a 20x30x15 pit full of fill dirt and trash. 

The road and bridge department brought a backhoe to the scene to help with the search. The Investigators and the Texas Rangers searched the dirt removed from the pit. A larger piece of equipment was brought in and they dug between 8 and 10 feet. They found a skeletal foot and the scene is now a crime scene for a homicide.

The remains of the female will be sent to a forensic anthropologist in Tarrant County to be examined. An autopsy was ordered. 

Most of the remains were intact. 

After the remains were removed, they dug another 8 feet, believing there is another body.

"This will tie back to a case we had in October of 2015. We had two teenagers come up missing. We had their family get in touch with us and notify us. We found an individual who had their property but we could not find the teenagers. We pray this case will tie back to that," said Sheriff Gary Painter.

They're waiting to do a DNA test to positively identify the remains. They're hoping to get a positive identity on the remains in the next two weeks.

Sheriff Painter says they will be relying on the District Attorney's Office moving forward. They will be drawing up search warrants, arrest warrants, and more in the very near future. They are hoping to move fast and "find the location of the individual we are looking for."

The property owner is not a suspect in the case.

The pit is located on County Road 1227 and West County Road 116.

Crews and officials have been on the scene since Saturday.

Officials have not released the names of the teens because an official identity has not been made.

This article is from KCBD.