Human remains discovered at a Corpus Christi wastewater station on June 24 have been identified as those of Caleb Harris, a missing Texas A&M-Corpus Christi student. In a statement released by the Corpus Christi Police Department, and reported by KENS 5, DNA testing conducted by the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification indicated a match between the remains and genetic material provided by Harris's parents.
Officials have yet to determine how Harris's remains ended up in the lift station situated near his apartment. The last known sighting of Harris was in the parking lot of his off-campus apartment complex, where, according to police, a Ring doorbell camera caught him with friends and a puppy during the early morning hours of March 4. After being last seen returning to his apartment, the young man was not heard from again, as reported by KENS 5.
The discovery of the remains prompted a series of events, starting with them being sent to the Nueces County Medical Examiner's Office, where due to decomposition, officials could not readily identify the body or ascertain the cause of death. It was the subsequent DNA analysis by UNTCHI, matching samples from Harris's parents, that confirmed the identity of the remains. The Harris family, dealing with their grief, expressed their feelings through social media, "We all have heavy hearts this evening as we learned of the positive identification of our sweet Caleb. We will grieve our son," as they posted in a statement captured by The Statesman.
The police are continuing their investigation into the circumstances of Harris's death. Authorities are actively seeking information and urge anyone with relevant details to come forward. Individuals with information can contact the Corpus Christi Police Department Criminal Investigation Division directly or submit an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers, as stated in The Statesman's report.
