Current:Home > reviewsLogan Bowman, 5, went missing 20 years ago. Now his remains have been identified. -AssetTrainer
Logan Bowman, 5, went missing 20 years ago. Now his remains have been identified.
View
Date:2025-04-15 16:55:52
Human remains discovered in Virginia were identified as belonging to a 5-year-old boy who went missing over 20 years ago, police said.
Logan Nathaniel Bowman went missing in January 2003, and his mother, Cynthia Davis, and her then-boyfriend, Dennis Schermerhorn, were charged in the child's disappearance. The Carroll County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement on social media last week that additional charges are expected to be filed.
Logan's remains were discovered in September 2022 in Galax, Virginia, the sheriff's office said.
Remains found nearly 20 years after disappearance
His remains were discovered in a wooded area of Galax, a southwestern Virginia city of about 6,700 residents, on Sept. 6, 2022, the sheriff's office said. They had been there "for an extended period of time," investigators determined.
Investigators worked with Texas-based forensic genealogy company Othram Inc. to use DNA and compare it to Logan's relatives, confirming the identity of the remains.
The remains were in a trash can, according to DNASolves.com, a site owned by Othram. Also found with the body were a sleeping bag, a Winnie the Pooh blanket and a cloth fragment, the site said.
Logan went missing from nearby Grayson County in 2003 in what DNASolves.com said was "suspicious circumstances." The site said he was entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, which noted Logan had a healing fracture in his left arm, tooth decay and burn scars on his feet. Logan's case in the NamUs system is no longer available online.
The boy's father, Wayne Bowman, told WFXR after the remains were identified that Logan was a "good kid" and he would finally be able to give him a proper burial. Wayne Bowman said he hopes the identification of his son's remains could lead to justice.
"I can go on, I know where he’s at now. I don’t have to worry where he’s at. I know it hurts, but it’s going to be OK," Wayne Bowman said.
Mother, boyfriend could face additional charges
Davis pleaded guilty to two counts of child neglect and one count of homicide, court records show. She was sentenced to 10 years for each count of child neglect and 30 years for homicide, with a suspended sentence of 15 years in prison and 15 years of probation.
Davis had been released from prison before her son's remains were identified, following her sentence for the earlier convictions, Carroll County Sheriff Kevin Kemp told USA TODAY.
Schermerhorn was sentenced to a year in jail for one charge of child neglect, according to court records. A murder charge and another child neglect charge filed against Schermerhorn were later dropped, the records show.
"We are still exploring our options for additional charges," Richard Vaughan, sheriff in Grayson County where Logan went missing, told USA TODAY on Wednesday.
Neither Davis nor Schermerhorn was in police custody or currently incarcerated, Kemp and Vaughan said.
Attorneys listed for Davis and Schermerhorn in their previous court cases could not be reached.
veryGood! (31245)
Related
- Paula Abdul settles lawsuit with former 'So You Think You Can Dance' co
- Massachusetts forms new state police unit to help combat hate crimes
- Rosalynn Carter’s tiny hometown mourns a global figure who made many contributions at home
- Massachusetts to let homeless families stay overnight in state’s transportation building
- See you latte: Starbucks plans to cut 30% of its menu
- Missing Florida mom found dead in estranged husband's storage unit, authorities say
- New York City’s ban on police chokeholds, diaphragm compression upheld by state’s high court
- 60 years after JFK’s death, today’s Kennedys choose other paths to public service
- Juan Soto to be introduced by Mets at Citi Field after striking record $765 million, 15
- Are Nikki Garcia and Artem Chigvintsev Ready for Baby No. 2? She Says...
Ranking
- 'Vanderpump Rules' star DJ James Kennedy arrested on domestic violence charges
- Zach Wilson benched in favor of Tim Boyle, creating murky future with Jets
- Zach Edey, Braden Smith lead Purdue men's basketball to Maui Invitational win over Gonzaga
- A cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe is suspected of killing more than 150 and is leaving many terrified
- IRS recovers $4.7 billion in back taxes and braces for cuts with Trump and GOP in power
- Solar panels will cut water loss from canals in Gila River Indian Community
- Man facing murder charges in disappearance of missing Washington state couple
- Massachusetts to let homeless families stay overnight in state’s transportation building
Recommendation
Brianna LaPaglia Reveals The Meaning Behind Her "Chickenfry" Nickname
Celebrating lives, reflecting on loss: How LGBTQ+ people and their loved ones are marking Trans Day of Remembrance
Why Taylor Swift's Music Is Temporarily Banned From Philadelphia Radio Station
Erin Andrews Breaks Down in Tears Detailing Moment She Learned She'd Been Secretly Videotaped
The Best Stocking Stuffers Under $25
Police say shooter attacked Ohio Walmart and injuries reported
Travis Kelce Reveals How His Love Story With Genius Taylor Swift Really Began
Shakira Reveals Why She Decided to Finally Resolve Tax Fraud Case for $7.6 Million