The long and arduous search for Jacob Lyon has finally come to a close after authorities confirmed that skeletal remains discovered in Florida’s Panhandle last year belong to the young man who disappeared nearly a decade ago.

The Walton County Sheriff’s Office announced on Tuesday that DNA tests have verified the remains found in Miramar Beach in October 2022 as those of Jacob Lyon, who vanished at the age of 19 when his mother reported him missing in February 2016.

“This outcome is not what our community had hoped for,” the sheriff’s office expressed in a statement. “We hope this brings some peace to his family, knowing that Jacob has been found.”

The investigation began when a man clearing land in the wooded area of Miramar Beach stumbled upon skeletal remains on October 20, 2022. Deputies, along with the District 1 Medical Examiner, arrived at the scene to commence efforts to identify the individual.

Jacob Lyon was last seen in Niceville, Florida, and was reported missing by his mother in 2016 when he was 19 years old. The case remained unsolved until the recent discovery.

Between 2022 and 2024, the medical examiner worked diligently to ascertain the identity of the remains. Due to the challenging condition of the bones, caused by prolonged exposure to the elements, the examiner sought help from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The process was hindered by the significant environmental degradation the remains had endured over the years.

Investigators said that while the remains have been confirmed to be Lyon’s, the investigation into how the 19-year-old died will continue. (Walton County Sheriff’s Office; Niceville Police Department)

FDLE confirmed the remains were a positive match for Lyon earlier this month, the sheriff’s office said.

Jacob’s disappearance triggered years of investigation by the Niceville Police Department, which pursued leads and tips but never located him. Authorities did not say where Lyon was last seen or how he may have ended up in Walton County.

Authorities said DNA testing of the skeletal remains was complicated by years of environmental exposure and degradation. (Walton County Sheriff’s Office; Niceville Police Department)

Investigators said the case remains active.

“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.