Possible human remains, including a skull, were discovered Sept. 24 off FM 82 near the Wildlife Cat Refuge in Newton County, Texas, in the same area where 38-year-old Joshua Larkin was last seen on Nov. 17, 2022. The recovered materials will be sent to the University of North Texas for DNA testing to determine identity. Multiple arrests were made in 2025 and a fifth arrest followed in July 2026, though murder charges against two suspects were recently dismissed for lack of physical evidence. Authorities say the investigation remains active and ask anyone with information to call 409-379-3636.
Possible Human Remains Found Near Hunting Site Tied to 2022 Disappearance of Joshua Larkin
Joshua Larkin, missing personCredit: Newton County Sheriff's Office
Possible human remains were discovered the morning of Thursday, Sept. 24, in a wooded area off FM 82 near the Wildlife Cat Refuge in Newton County, Texas, the Newton County Sheriff’s Office said. Deputies responded at approximately 9:13 a.m. and made a preliminary determination that the remains appeared to be those of an adult, including a human skull.
The site is the same general area where 38-year-old Joshua Larkin told his mother he was going to meet friends to go hunting on Nov. 17, 2022. Larkin was last seen at his mother’s Kirbyville home around 9 a.m. that day; his locked vehicle and personal belongings were found the following day, prompting investigators to suspect foul play.
Feb. 17, 2025, Jasper County Sheriff's Office and the Jasper County District Attorney's office searched property off of FM 252 regarding Josh LarkinCredit: Jasper County Sheriff's Office - TX
Newton County officials said the materials recovered at the scene will be submitted to the University of North Texas for DNA testing and formal identification. The sheriff’s office did not name Larkin in its initial public update and emphasized that forensic confirmation is required before any identification is announced.
Law-enforcement activity in the multiyear inquiry has included property searches and multiple arrests. Local nonprofit Equusearch reported that four suspects had been arrested in connection with Larkin’s disappearance as of November 2025; a fifth individual was arrested in July 2026 on a tampering-with-evidence charge. Two men — Justin Taylor James and Johnathan “Cody” Bierhalter — were initially charged with murder and evidence-tampering, while others faced tampering charges.
Joshua Larkin, missing personCredit: Newton County Sheriff's Office
According to local reporting, the murder charges against James and Bierhalter were dismissed recently because prosecutors cited a lack of physical evidence. Despite changes to the charges, authorities describe the investigation as active and ongoing and stress that forensic testing may provide new leads.
Anyone with information about Joshua Larkin’s disappearance or the recent discovery is urged to contact the Newton County Sheriff’s Office at 409-379-3636. Officials have asked the public to avoid speculation until DNA and other forensic results are complete.
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