Las Vegas authorities confirmed human remains were found on Tuesday, and they’re investigating whether the body is a missing 13-year-old boy.
Las Vegas Now reports that on Tuesday afternoon at around 3:30 p.m., Aaron’s cousins discovered a body behind the Siegel Suites off of Boulder Highway, in an isolated area. The family said that the remains were Aaron’s, but the body was so badly decomposed that it was impossible to make an immediate positive identification. Authorities said that the small body was wrapped inside a plastic bag. Aaron’s family lived at the Siegel Suites for a short period of time last year.
According to Metropolitan Police Department’s Lt. Dan McGrath, the family has a history of run-ins with Child Protective Services. Aaron’s father, Paul Darell Jones, is currently behind bars on child abuse charges. In 2015, he pleaded guilty to the child abuse charge and was placed on probation. This year, he broke probation rules and was taken to jail on April 1. He’s currently housed at the Clark County Detention Center.
On Wednesday, Paul Jones learned of the discovered remains and told authorities that he never harmed his son.
“If it is him, It’s going to crush me because I would never do that to any child. I even took the effort to go out and look for him also, so it ain’t like I didn’t do nothing.”
Aaron was last seen December 2016, yet his family didn’t report him missing until April 14, 2017. On Wednesday, Paul Jones explained why he didn’t report his son missing until months later. He said his son ran away in February, but he was afraid to call the police due to an outstanding warrant. It’s unclear why there are contradictions regarding the month Aaron disappeared.
“Been looking for him ever since he went missing. I couldn’t call the police or nothing, but I still been looking for him.”
Police said that evidence suggests the body found behind the suites had been there for months. The Las Vegas Coroner/Medical Examiner (CCOCME) is currently trying to positively identify the remains.
The story is still developing. Check back with Crime Online as additional details become available.
[Feature Photo: National Center for Missing & Exploited Children]