Thursday will mark three months since Daniel Robinson went missing in the Buckeye area.
Since June 23, family and friends have tried to locate Robinson, 24, of Tempe, to no avail. He and his vehicle disappeared that day, according to the Buckeye Police Department.
On July 19, his vehicle was found with the airbags deployed and significant damage to the exterior.
Buckeye Police spokesperson Carissa Planalp said Robinson’s vehicle — a blue 2017 Jeep Renegade — will still undergo more analysis.
“Currently we are consulting outside experts for enhanced analysis of data from Daniel’s vehicle,” Planalp said.
Robinson is from South Carolina. After college, he landed a job as a geologist in the Valley. His father, David, traveled from South Carolina to Arizona after his son went missing to assist in searching.
Buckeye Police say Robinson was reported missing the same day he was seen leaving a job site near North Sun Valley Parkway and West Cactus Road. Since his disappearance, Buckeye Police have worked with other agencies to search more than 70 square miles in an effort to locate Daniel.
Investigators have utilized UTVs, cadaver dogs and air support, including a drone and a helicopter.
On July 19, a landowner spotted Daniel’s Jeep in a ravine. Because of the rough terrain, the vehicle had not been not clearly visible to crews searching by air and on foot. The vehicle had significant damage.
On July 31, a human skull was located in an area south of where the Jeep had been recovered. It was later determined the skull was not that of Robinson.
Other remains recovered during searches were determined to be animal bones. No additional human remains have been found, despite online reports claiming otherwise, police said.
Buckeye Police continue to analyze evidence and explore leads, they said. Anyone with information that can help solve the case is urged to call the Buckeye Police Department non-emergency number, 623-349-6400.
Jason W. Brooks is a News editor for the Daily Independent and the Chandler Independent.
He covers the Chandler area for both yourvalley.net and the monthly print edition while writing for and assisting in the production of the Daily Independent.
Brooks is a well-traveled journalist who has documented life in small American communities in nearly all U.S. time zones.
Born in Washington, D.C. and raised there and in suburban Los Angeles, he has covered community news in California, New Mexico, Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska and northern Arizona.