California Man Arrested After Missing Roommate’s Remains Found Buried in Backyard, Authorities Say
Authorities in California have arrested a man on suspicion of murder after the remains of his missing roommate were unearthed from a shallow grave in the backyard of the home they shared, officials said.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office identified the deceased as 61-year-old Daniel Howard Joslin of Yucca Valley. His roommate, 60-year-old Cris Jones, was taken into custody over the weekend in Oregon and is awaiting extradition to California, according to investigators.
The grim discovery came after deputies with the Morongo Basin Station were alerted to Joslin’s disappearance on July 3. Friends and family told police they had not heard from him in about 10 days and believed he may have been traveling to Oregon, though no evidence ever confirmed those plans.
Detectives obtained a search warrant for the home in the 58000 block of Carlyle Drive on July 29. While searching the property, they found a shallow grave in the backyard containing human remains. The sheriff’s Specialized Investigations Division — Homicide Detail took over the case, with the Coroner’s Division and crime scene specialists assisting in the recovery.
The coroner’s office later positively identified the remains as those of Joslin.
After identifying Jones as a suspect, authorities issued an arrest warrant. He was arrested Sunday, Aug. 2, with the help of the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office in Oregon, where he remained in custody as of Tuesday, Aug. 4.
It is not immediately known whether Jones has retained an attorney. Officials have not released a possible motive or an exact date of death, saying only that the investigation remains active.
The case has drawn attention to the quiet desert community of Yucca Valley, where violent crime is relatively uncommon. Local residents expressed shock that a months-long disappearance could end in such a discovery just steps from a neighbor’s fence.
Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact the Morongo Basin Station at 760-366-4175. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call or text We-Tip at 844-909-3006 or submit a tip online at https://mobile.catapultems.com/sbcsd/Sites.