Human remains found in a wastewater well in Corpus Christi “most likely” belong to Caleb Harris, a Texas A&M student who has been missing since March, police said.
Texas City Water employees made the grisly discovery at the Perry Place wastewater lift station in June, though authorities warned identification would take a while, given the remains’ “advanced state of decomposition.”
On Wednesday, forensic analysts with the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification concluded the remains are almost certainly those of 21-year-old Harris, according to a statement from the Corpus Christi Police Department. The agency compared a DNA analysis of the remains to samples provided Harris’ parents before reaching their conclusion.
“We all have heavy hearts this evening as we learned of the positive identification of our sweet Caleb,” Harris’ family said in a statement to KIII-TV. “We will grieve our son, but we are at peace knowing he is with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
In a note to the Texas A&M community, University president Dr. Kelly Miller also confirmed Harris’ death and remembered him as a “cherished son” and “beloved brother,” KRISTV reported.
“Let us remember Caleb with gratitude for the time we were privileged to spend with him,” Miller wrote. “His memory will forever remain a part of our university community and we will honor his legacy at a remembrance ceremony in the fall.”
Harris was last heard from on March 4 around 3 a.m., after he placed an order with Uber Eats, police said. From there, he took a friend’s dog on a walk, during which he sent several Snapchat videos to friends and family. The well where his remains were discovered is near his off-campus apartment and several spots that appeared in his videos.
Police said the remains will be returned to the Nueces County Medical Examiner’s office, which will then issue a final autopsy report. The agency previously said that the remains “bore no obvious signs of homicide.”
