Missing teens case in Hemet takes gruesome turn
Investigators have not been able to determine whether the remains are in any way connected to the disappearance of the three 17-year-olds.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
The case of three missing Hemet teens took a gruesome twist today as police announced charred human remains were found in a makeshift grave in the home where one of three lived.
Investigators have not been able to determine whether the remains are in any way connected to the disappearance of the three 17-year-olds, said Lt. Dean Evans Wednesday during a morning news conference held outside the Bluejay Way home of one the teens. (Photo by Jose Arballo)
Investigators have not been able to determine whether the remains are in any way connected to the disappearance of the three 17-year-olds, said Lt. Dean Evans Wednesday during a morning news conference held outside the Bluejay Way home of one the teens.
As Evans spoke, a slew of investigators and evidence technicians combed the home and backyard where police found some human remains last week while looking into a missing-persons report on Jose Campos, Evans said. Adrian Rios, 17, and Campos’ girlfriend, Felicia Sharpe, 17, are also reported missing.
The fragments were analyzed by a forensic pathologist and determined to be human, Evans said.
“These were small fragments,” Evans said. “It was not like we were talking like there was a whole body.”
Investigators returned to the home Tuesday evening with a search warrant and began looking for more evidence. Early this morning investigators began digging in the backyard of the home and found what they described as a makeshift grave, Evans said.
At this point, he said, “it is unclear whether the human remains have any connection to the three missing juveniles.”
There is evidence that the remains have been partially charred and there are reports that there had been a bonfire in the backyard a week before, he said.
Evens said it is too early to say how long the remains have been in the backyard.
Investigators have started excavating the backyard and expect to be at the home all day.
The home is located in a normally quiet neighborhood near West Valley High School along the city’s southern end. There is an elementary school nearby. During the morning, police tape sealed off the street in front of the home and several news vans were parked along the street. Several neighbors and passerbys gathered in small groups talking amongst themselves.
Evans said investigators are still looking for the three and have no way of knowing whether their disappearance is connected to the remains.
“Right now we know there are remains in the backyard and the juveniles are still missing,” Evans said. “It is way too early to speculate on whether any of this is connected.”
He said investigators needed to wait until Wednesday morning so they could use the daylight to help in the search. He said the makeshift grave was just being excavated and investigators would likely search the entire backyard for evidence. Several times during the morning, technicians brought out bags of evidence from the home and backyard. The driveway was cluttered with items apparently removed from the garage and inside the home.
Tags: Adrian Rios, Felicia Sharpe, hemet, hemet police, Jose Campos, Lt. Dean Evans, SWRNN, west valley high school
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Comment by: NinaK Posted: November 25, 2009, 2:34 pm
Let’s see, here’s my theory. Campos suspected his girlfriend, Sharpe, was paying too much attention to their friend, Rios. He gets into a fight with Sharpe, goes into a rage, and kills Sharpe (on the 14th). On Nov 15. he invites Rios over to watch the game(maybe admits to him he has killed Sharpe, maybe not), but Campos gets into a fight with Rios, becomes enraged and kills him too. Then, he burns their bodies. I don’t think Campos is “missing”, I think he and his family moved away, the house supposedly has been vacant about as long as same time the teens have been missing. Since the bodies have obviously been cut apart and burnt, there is no way police can determine, at this point, whether or not the remains are those of Sharpe and/or Rios. I can almost guarantee Campos is alive, well, and has moved someplace else with his family. Surely, Campos did NOT live in that house by himself; he had to have been living with his parents. I believe his parents helped “destroy” the evidence and decided to get out of there as quickly as possibe. Did any of the neighbors know the “Campos family” was moving? Seems to me it was a last-minute decision. I would say the family went back to Mexico. Food for thought, anyway.
Comment by: Zoey Posted: November 25, 2009, 3:49 pm
@NinaK
Man are you off, read the latest, the Sharpe girl is alive.
Comment by: C Posted: November 26, 2009, 2:05 am
NinaK…you need help!! Your crazy lil assumptions in regards to this is just wack! You have a messed up mind to even try to write your version on what happened. The families involved Im sure would be hurt be what you wrote. Felicia is safe n sound now at home..so sorry- try again on your assumptions. I hope and pray that both boys will show up alive and well as well and so how the remains found are niether teen. It is horrible that this situation happened. I hope that the teens are found and have nothing to do with the found remains and that the PD are investigating further on leads to whos remains those are and investgate that perhaps someone other then these teens are involved in that. Campos surely was no saint, I know of him and his myspace also doesnt help with his charactor. Sharp is a good kid, who just got cought up “in love” with Campos. Rios, I cant speak of because I dont know of him. But I hope for each of these teens and their families that they are found safe n sound. And whoevers remains were found..my heart truely goes out!