By Chris Caraveo Independent Newsmedia Officials and members of the Buckeye community spent the first few months after July 18, 2016 searching heavily for a 10-year-old boy. Jesse Wilson was last seen prior to the morning of July 18, 2016. (Submitted photo) The search never really stopped in the nearly two years of Jesse Wilson going missing. But two weeks after the Buckeye Police Department was notified of remains found in a farm field, DNA analysis revealed the remains to be that of Jesse Wilson. Buckeye police is now investigating his case as a homicide. “It’s the worst possible outcome that we could experience,” Buckeye Police Chief Larry Hall said Tuesday at a press conference announcing the results of the DNA analysis. “Our community, the family, police department and law enforcement partners wanted to find him alive.” Around 10:30 a.m. March 8, a Buckeye employee discovered partial human skeletal remains in the area of State Route 85 and Broadway Road, according to police. Authorities collected and turned them over to the Maricopa County Medical Examiner and the Arizona Department of Public Safety Crime Lab for further analysis. Police continued to search the area and found additional remains. At the time, it was unknown if the remains were even human. It is unknown how long they were out in the area they were located. Then today, police said what many hoped was not the case. "I wish I could say it's closure but it's not because we haven't found the person responsible," Mr. Hall said.

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Back on the early morning of July 18, 2016, then 10-year-old Jesse disappeared from his home in the Sundance neighborhood police said. Friends and teachers had described Jesse as a bright, energetic, and caring young man who was well-liked. Jesse would have been 12 as of March 16. From the moment he disappeared in 2016 through Tuesday in 2018, the Buckeye community had joined together to find Jesse through hours of volunteering, searching, and praying, police said. “We in law enforcement have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support for Jesse and are eternally grateful for the continued assistance,” the department stated in a release. Today, Detective Tamela Skaggs said Crystal Wilson, Jesse's adoptive mother, was notified of the identification. Ms. Skaggs also said Ms. Wilson was out of the state as of Tuesday afternoon. Police initially treated Jesse's disappearance as a runaway case because Ms. Wilson told investigators that he suffered from "learning and developmental issues" and was taking medication for it, according to the Associated Press. She said he had slipped out of his second-floor bedroom window overnight in the past. Ms. Skaggs said Jesse’s biological father came forward when asked to provide a DNA sample when the remains were found. Jesse’s two siblings were taken from their mother and turned over to the Arizona Department of Child Safety after he went missing, Ms. Skaggs said. “We believe this case will be resolved as Jesse deserves nothing less,” police said. The FBI, Buckeye police and Maricopa County Sheriff's Office personnel searched for Jesse for weeks after his disappearance. Drones, U.S. Border Patrol tracking dogs and resident volunteers also searched. Buckeye Communications Manager Annie DeChance released a statement on behalf of the city council regarding Tuesday's announcement. "The Buckeye City Council would like to thank the hundreds of volunteers who have supported our Police Department and their efforts to bring closure to this investigation," the statement reads. "Although this is not the outcome we or anyone wanted, we are confident the Police Department will bring closure to this investigation and justice to Jesse."

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