Remains Found in Florida Panhandle Identified as Missing Teenager Jacob Lyon [WATCH]

Authorities in Florida have confirmed that skeletal remains discovered in the Panhandle more than two years ago belong to Jacob Lyon, a 19-year-old man who was reported missing nearly a decade earlier, bringing a long-running search to a somber conclusion, as reported by Fox News.

The Walton County Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday that DNA testing confirmed remains found in Miramar Beach in October 2022 were those of Lyon, who was reported missing by his mother in February 2016 when he was 19 years old.

“This is not the result our community hoped for,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. “For his family, we hope there is peace in knowing Jacob has been found.”

FOUND: Skeletal remains discovered in Florida’s Panhandle in 2022 have been identified as Jacob Lyon, missing since February 2016. DNA testing confirmed the 19-year-old’s identity after nearly a decade. https://t.co/KA4Sjh2SIn

— Fox News (@FoxNews) January 29, 2026

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According to investigators, the remains were discovered on Oct. 20, 2022, when a man clearing wooded land in Miramar Beach came across skeletal fragments.

Deputies responded to the scene along with the District 1 Medical Examiner, beginning an extensive effort to identify the remains.

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From 2022 through 2024, the medical examiner worked to determine the identity of the deceased but encountered significant challenges due to the condition of the remains.

Authorities said the remains had been exposed to environmental elements for years, resulting in degradation that complicated traditional identification methods.

Because of those limitations, the medical examiner requested assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. FDLE conducted advanced DNA testing to assist in the identification process.

The sheriff’s office said FDLE confirmed earlier this month that the DNA profile was a positive match for Jacob Lyon, officially ending nearly nine years of uncertainty surrounding his disappearance.

Lyon’s case had been under investigation for years by the Niceville Police Department, which pursued tips and leads following his disappearance in 2016.

Despite those efforts, Lyon was never located, and authorities have not released details about where he was last seen or how he may have ended up in Walton County.

Investigators did not provide information about the cause or manner of Lyon’s death, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation. Officials emphasized that identifying the remains is only one step in a larger process.

“The work does not end here,” the sheriff’s office said, adding that deputies will continue working with Niceville police to determine how Lyon died.

Authorities have not said whether foul play is suspected, and no arrests have been announced. The sheriff’s office stated that the case remains active as investigators continue reviewing evidence and coordinating between agencies.

The identification closes one chapter for Lyon’s family after years of unanswered questions but leaves critical issues unresolved.

Law enforcement officials said they remain committed to uncovering the circumstances surrounding Lyon’s death and how his remains came to be in the wooded area where they were found.

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