BOX ELDER COUNTY, Utah — It’s officially been one month since the family of Dylan Rounds last heard from him.
After weeks with no answers, they’re raising the reward to find their son from $20,000 to $100,000.
“There’s just no trace,” said Candice Cooley, Rounds’ mother.
The Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office is calling this a criminal case, and the FBI is now involved — bringing in specialized equipment and high tech.
“That’s going to be our best footprint. I mean, we can’t find one on the ground so maybe we can find something off the stuff they can truly get off of his phone,” said Cooley. “I’m grateful they’re there, but I’m terrified that they’ve been there for two weeks and can’t find anything either.”
Rounds lived on his farm in Lucin, Utah. His credit card was last used at a bar in Montello, Nevada, just a day or two before he was last heard from.
“If I knew he was OK, I could handle a month,” said Cooley. “But not knowing anything is just torture.”
His family said his boots were found five miles away from his trailer and that his truck appeared to be pressure-washed. Cooley said the driver’s seat was found in a position that doesn’t match Rounds’ height.
“There’s just no way. I mean, why would somebody want to hurt this kid? Why would somebody want to take this kid?” she said.
The Box Elder County Sheriff’s Department posted a list of the many agencies and groups involved in the search efforts. Those agencies include Box Elder County Search and Rescue, Box Elder County Horse Posse, Elko County Sheriff’s Office, Weber County Search and Rescue, Utah Department of Public Safety Aero Bureau, Utah Search Dogs, Rigby Police Department, Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, Ogden Police Department, Davis County Sheriff’s Office, Search and Rescue K-9s of Idaho, Texas Equusearch, along with many other friends, family and volunteers.
Cooley hopes federal investigators’ involvement and the new six-figure reward can bring in the answers they know are out there.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office. The department’s 24/7 dispatch non-emergency numbers are 435-723-5227, 435-734-3894, and 435-257-3131.
A family friend created a public Facebook group for the search that is updated daily.
