Human Remains Identified in Eastern Douglas County

On December 26 at approximately 1:00 pm, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office received a call reporting the discovery of possible human remains on the eastern side of the county.

Deputies and Sheriff Chris Degase responded and confirmed the bones were human remains. They searched the rural area with cadaver dogs and with the help of Missouri State Highway Patrol.

The following day, another search took place with cadaver dogs and the help of Missouri State Highway Patrol, and another human bone was found.

Sheriff Degase suspected the identity of the remains to be Brandon Wood, who went missing in September 2015. On December 29, the Sheriff received confirmation based on dental records provided by the Missouri Department of Corrections that the remains were those of Brandon Wood of Mountain Grove. Wood was 23 at the time of his disappearance.

The area where the bones were found had been previously searched in 2015 and 2016, but recent home construction turned up the new evidence, said a press release from the Sheriff’s Office. There are three people of interest in the case, but no arrests have been made as of press time.

Brandon Wood was last seen on September 6, 2015 entering a gold car in Mountain Grove. According to a missing persons poster published by the Mountain Grove Police Department, it was believed he was traveling to Ava. 

The investigation is considered a homicide, and anyone with information is asked to call the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office at (417) 683-1020.