The remains of a Minnesota teenager who went missing in May have been discovered, authorities announced, bringing a tragic end to a weeks-long search.
Jordan “Manny” Collins Jr., 16, was last seen on May 8 in Columbia Heights, Minnesota, and reported missing on May 12, according to Columbia Heights Police Chief Matt Markham during a press conference on Tuesday, July 1.
Over the weekend, investigators discovered human remains at the Waste Management Landfill in Elk River, Minnesota, which have now been positively identified as Collins, according to the chief.
Markham stated that authorities have been searching the landfill since June 4. The Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office will investigate the cause of death.
“I think the fact that a four-week search of the landfill illustrates pretty clearly the tenacity of law enforcement in bringing justice,” Anoka County Sheriff Sheriff Brad Wise said at the press conference. “This is a complex investigation.”
According to Wise, investigators discovered a “video that showed some evidence that would suggest the body might have made its way into a dumpster and into a garbage truck.”
Authorities have indicated that the case is being investigated as a homicide, but have not named any suspects.
“Well, a dead body wound up in a landfill, so I guess draw your own conclusion, yes,” Wise told reporters at the time.
Collins’ mother, Ashley Berry, told KARE 11 before his death was confirmed, “He’s a really good kid, and anybody who’s crossed paths with him knows that he has an old soul.”
Berry’s GoFundMe campaign to help her with basic expenses raised more than $8,000 as of July 1.
“Since that day, my life has been turned upside down,” she explained on the fundraising page. “Every moment of every day has been focused on finding him — talking to authorities, sharing his story, posting flyers, and following every lead possible.”
