ST. GEORGE — Investigators have identified the skeletal remains found in Cedar City as Johnny Dale Rollins, who went missing from his home in Cedar City in 2018.
The body was discovered Dec. 28, 2019, when officers from the Cedar City Police Department were summoned to a drainage tunnel that runs underneath Interstate 15 in Cedar City. The remains were initially found by two juveniles who had been walking through the area. They reported the discovery to their parents who then called the police.
After the discovery of the body, investigators from the Cedar City Police department along with representatives from the Iron County Sheriff’s Office and the Office of the Medical examiner recovered the skeletal remains and sent the body to the Medical Examiner’s office for an autopsy. During the autopsy, a wallet containing identification belonging to Rollins was discovered, according to a press release. Additionally, dental records confirmed that the deceased subject was Rollins.
Rollins was first reported missing from his home in March 2018. At the time he was reported missing, family members indicated that he had health issues related to a previous stroke as well as early stages Alzheimer’s. Mr. Rollins was known to walk great distances around the Cedar City area. Multiple searches for Mr. Rollins were conducted at the time he went missing without success.
A Cedar City News reporter who went to the location where the body was found said Rollins was discovered approximately 2 miles away from his home.
Determining the cause of Rollins’ death has been difficult, police say. There was nothing located at the scene or found during the autopsy to lead investigators to believe there was foul play, according to the release.
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