Body found in Echo Canyon believed to be Wyoming man missing since December

A body found off I-80 near Echo Canyon is presumed to be missing Lander man Brent Layman, though official identification awaits Medical Examiner results

SUMMIT COUNTY, Utah — A man from Lander, Wyoming, missing for nearly three months has presumably been found dead near where his vehicle was abandoned along Interstate 80 in northern Utah, authorities said.

The remains of who investigators have preliminarily determined to be Brent Layman, 60, were discovered near the Echo Port of Entry on March 5, according to Sgt. Felicia Sotelo with the Summit County Sheriff’s Office in Utah.

According to an article by Cowboy State Daily, Detective Jesse Mattocks with the Lander Police Department said that a passing motorist found Layman’s body.

Though Layman’s family has been notified of his death, the agency said the Utah Medical Examiner’s Office will ultimately confirm his identity.

“He’s preliminarily identified as this individual. The Utah Office of Medical Examiner will have to finalize that, but … that’s who we think it is,” Sgt. Sotelo said.

His cause of death is still unknown pending an autopsy. “The medical examiner’s office will be the ones to determine that, and we haven’t received that yet,” Sotelo said.

Sgt. Sotelo added: “At this point, we don’t have anything that’s indicating foul play.”

Family members originally filed a missing person report with Lander police on Dec. 18 after Layman failed to respond to communication attempts and wasn’t present when his daughter arrived to pick him up for a planned family gathering.

Investigators later discovered that deputies had located Layman’s abandoned vehicle on Dec. 13 near the Echo Port of Entry in Summit County. The vehicle was found with all windows down and contained Layman’s personal effects, including his wallet and cell phone.

The local sheriff’s office impounded the car thinking it was abandoned.

Despite several searches at the time, authorities could not locate him. The area where Layman was found had been previously searched, but snow likely hampered those efforts.

“The area had been searched … via drone, people were out looking in the area, but it was pretty snowy,” Sotelo explained. “My guess is that it was snowing and he passed away and it continued to snow.”

The body had been concealed under snow and was only recently discovered due to receding snow levels.

On the Missing People of Wyoming Facebook page, Layman’s daughter, Tenaya, announced her father’s passing:

“I’m deeply saddened to announce the passing of Brent Layman. Brent was last seen mid December in Lander WY. His vehicle was later found in Utah. Despite countless searches, his remains were not found until yesterday close to where the vehicle was found. We miss him and he will always be in our hearts. I hope he is reunited with my mom as well as his parents. Until we meet again. Love you dad. Thank you to everyone who shared the posts and story and reached out while he was missing. The family truly appreciates that and felt the love.”

The Lander Police Department also issued a statement Friday saying that Layman has been located and no further assistance is needed.