An investigation into the disappearance of a 61-year-old Yucca Valley man has turned into a murder case after detectives found his remains in a shallow backyard grave and arrested a suspect in Oregon, authorities said Tuesday. Daniel Howard Joslin had been missing since early July, and investigators now say there is no evidence confirming he traveled to Oregon. The arrest puts a suspect in custody as the case moves toward California.
According to an update from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, the department’s Homicide Detail took over the investigation after human remains were discovered in Yucca Valley and later positively identified as Joslin.
Search At Shared Home Led To Discovery
Morongo Basin deputies received a missing-person report for Joslin on July 3. The sheriff’s update says he was last in contact with family and friends on June 26, and that investigators later received information suggesting he might have intended to travel to Oregon.
That lead did not pan out. Investigators said they found no evidence confirming Joslin traveled there, and Morongo Station detectives obtained a search warrant for the Yucca Valley residence he shared with Cris Jones.
During a search last Wednesday in the 58000 block of Carlyle Drive, detectives located human remains in a shallow backyard grave. The Coroner’s Division identified the remains as Joslin after homicide detectives worked with crime-scene specialists and coroner investigators.
Suspect Arrested In Oregon
Jones, 60, was identified as the suspect and an arrest warrant was issued. The sheriff’s department said Jones was located and arrested Sunday in Oregon with assistance from the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office.
Jones is being held in Oregon pending extradition to California. The department has not released a motive or additional details about how Joslin died, and the murder investigation remains ongoing.
Investigators Ask For Tips
The case is listed under Penal Code 187, the department’s murder classification, with case numbers DR# 232601238 and H# 2026-074. An arrest warrant and murder investigation are allegations at this stage; Jones remains presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Homicide Detail at 909-890-4904. Anonymous tips can be submitted through We-Tip by calling or texting 844-909-3006, according to the department’s public update.
