...
By Jenna Sundel
News Reporter
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Florida law enforcement officials announced that human remains found in 2022 have been identified as a 19-year-old who was reported missing nearly 10 years ago.
The Niceville Police Department and the Walton County Sheriff’s Office announced at a press conference on Monday that DNA testing positively confirmed that the remains belonged to Jacob Lyons, who was reported missing by his mother in February 2016.
The Context
The identification of Lyons' remains is a significant development in his case, which remained unsolved for nearly 10 years.
Read More on News
“Ten years is a long time, but Jacob is home. Jacob’s back,” Major Dustin Cosson with the Walton County Sheriff’s Office said. “His family is able to make a little bit of closure, and it’s our hope that we can continue to get answers.”
Cosson said this development in the case “is not a positive thing, but there is some positive to it.”
“Now we have something that we can utilize from evidence to identify possibly what happened. We don't know right now exactly what happened, but what we do know is that we have a positive confirmation of Jacob Lyons, and that we’ll be continuing the investigation and the partnership,” Cosson said.
...
What To Know
Niceville Police Chief Mark Hayse said at the press conference that Lyons' mother reported him missing on February 1, 2016, and said she had not seen him for approximately three months. Hayse said Lyons was entered into databases as a missing/endangered person that same day.
The following day, Niceville Police investigators conducted interviews with family and friends, Hayse said. Officials also analyzed data from Lyons’ cellphone, conducted several searches based on the recovered data, and collected DNA samples from family members for future comparison and identification.
Several searches were conducted throughout Florida and surrounding states, some of which used cadaver dogs and ground-penetrating radar, Hayse said.
“Unfortunately, none of the more than 20 tips, ranging from locations of a body to live sightings, proved to be useful. We at the NPD did not give up hope and continued following up on tips for Jacob as recently as a few months ago,” Hayse said.
The Walton County Sheriff’s Office notified the Niceville Police Department that they had received a positive DNA match for Lyons on January 21, from remains found in Walton County in 2022, Hayse said.
Cosson said officials received a call in October 2022 about possible bones. The remains were found in a small wooded lot that links up to a subdivision.
They were identified as human remains between the ages of 13 and 20 by the District 1 Medical Examiner’s office, Cosson said. When the medical examiner’s office finished its report in 2024, officials sent the information and evidence to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for DNA testing.
What People Are Saying
Niceville Chief of Police Mark Hayse said at a press conference: “On behalf of the Niceville Police Department and the city of Niceville, I would like to extend my sincere condolences to the family of Jacob and know that we feel terrible for your loss of your son and family member.”
Walton County Sheriff’s Office said on Facebook: “This is not the result our community hoped for. For his family, we hope there is peace in knowing Jacob has been found. But the work does not end here.”
What Happens Next
The Walton County Sheriff’s Office said it will continue working closely with the Niceville Police Department “with a shared commitment to finding answers about how Jacob died.”
Anyone with information related to Lyons’ death is asked to contact the Walton County Sheriff’s Office at (850)-892-8111.
In a polarized era, the center is dismissed as bland. At Newsweek, ours is different: The Courageous Center—it's not "both sides," it's sharp, challenging and alive with ideas. We follow facts, not factions. If that sounds like the kind of journalism you want to see thrive, we need you.
When you become a Newsweek Member, you support a mission to keep the center strong and vibrant. Members enjoy: Ad-free browsing, exclusive content and editor conversations. Help keep the center courageous. Join today.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines