Wednesday morning the Lubbock County Medical Examiner positively identified the remains of Mark Ysasaga.
Police said a Crime Line tip Friday evening led to the discovery of a dead body on Saturday near 120th Street and Highway 87.
Ysasaga was 15 at the time of his disappearance in June of 2012. In mid-May police changed the case from a missing person to murder and charged Jose Simental, 20.
Simental was serving time for burglary on the day he was charged with murder. He has since been taken from prison to the Lubbock County Detention Center to face the murder charge.
Police said on Friday that Christian Castro, 19, is a “person of interest” in the Ysasaga murder. Castro has not been charged.
Castro and Simental were roommates at the time of Ysasaga’s disappearance. Police said a closer examination of the home where they lived in the 3100 block of 27th Street provided enough blood evidence to believe Ysasaga was murdered.
The following written statement was released Wednesday morning:
The Lubbock County Medical Examiner’s Office was involved in recovering human remains located in the area of 120th street and Interstate 27. The remains were brought to the Lubbock County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The Chief Medical Examiner is submitting the following information regarding those remains:
The remains have been scientifically identified as those of Mark Anthony Ysasaga of Lubbock Texas.
The Cause of Death is Homicidal Violence with Gunshot.
The Manner of Death is classified as Homicide.
The Lubbock County Medical Examiner’s Office has spoken with family members.