BUSHNELL, Fla. – Human remains have been found in the yard at the home of a Bushnell man who has been missing for nearly a month, according to officials from the Sumter County Sheriff's Office.
Officials from the Sumter County Sheriff's Office said Claudio Carvajal-Hernandez, 40, was last seen June 22 at 4 a.m. in his home on the 600 block of Belt Avenue by his step son, who also lives there. Carvajal-Hernandez's brother was the one who reported him missing, authorities said.
Deputies said after exhausting all other leads, they investigated the backyard of that home in connection with the disappearance, including digging and using cadaver dogs. The dogs located human remains the yard near a burn barrel, according to authorities. Deputies are waiting on DNA testing to determine if the remains are those of Carvajal-Hernandez.
A search warrant has been served for the entire property and as of Saturday, authorities said they were actively searching inside Carvajal-Hernandez's home. Deputies said when they had previously been inside the home to file the initial missing person's report, they did not notice anything out of place.
When Carvajal-Hernandez went missing, he stopped going to work and left no traceable financial records, officials said. His company-issued car was also left on the property. SCSO Capt. Tony Prevatt said Carvajal-Hernandez had been heard saying he wanted to "go back to Mexico," which authorities initially considered as an option.
Prevatt said that missing people's trails are usually able to be tracked.
"That's what's strange about this one is that it's totally stopped," Prevatt said. "We have no contact, he has not contact any family or used any type of financials."
Officials said Carvajal-Hernandez's wife was visiting Mexico at the time of his disappearance. She called Carvajal-Hernandez's brother and reportedly asked "have you seen my husband?"
The investigation is still early, and deputies said they currently have no suspects. The posters all over the city of Bushnell ask anyone with information to alert authorities.
Prevatt said the town of Bushnell, which has a population of under 2,500 people, does not experience investigations like this often.
Deputies described Carvajal-Hernandez as Hispanic, approximately 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighing about 150 pounds. He has short brown hair, dark eyes and a scar on his forehead and was last seen wearing black shorts and a white tank top, according to authorities.
Investigators are asking anyone with any information about the case to contact detective Troy Hampton at 352-793-2621 or to call Crimeline at 800-423-8477.