Second person of interest named in missing Baytown teens' case
ANAHUAC, TX (KTRK) -- Hours after two bodies were found during a search for two missing Baytown teens, police named a second person of interest wanted in connection with their disappearance.
Baytown police, along with several other law enforcement agencies, discovered two decomposing bodies around 3:45pm Thursday in a Chambers County bayou located near Anahuac. Police say information gathered in the search for 17-year-old Jarvis Morgan and 18-year-old Alex Chavez led them to Double Bayou, where they had searched two days earlier.
Now police are searching for Jose Juan Chavez, a 17-year-old also known as "Chop." They identified him, in addition to 20-year-old Brandon Alejandro Flores, as a person of interest. It's not clear if he is related to Alex Chavez.
A source tells Eyewitness News the bodies donned the same clothes the teens were wearing when they disappeared February 18. Police say it's ultimately the medical examiner's office that will confirm their identities and determine cause of death.
"The family's going through a very tough time now, waiting to see if in fact it is the bodies of Alex and Jarvis," Texas EquuSearch founder Tim Miller Miller said. "It's been very trying times for everybody, but we're waiting news to get positive identification."
Alex Chavez and Morgan were last seen heading to an apartment complex in a high crime area. Investigators found the teens' car on February 23 near the Fred Hartman Bridge, and though there was no indication of foul play, everyone suspected it.
Morgan's mother, Sharon Bernard, told Eyewitness News earlier this week she was optimistic her son and Chavez would be found alive.
"It's hard. I'm hurting. It's been 12 days. I don't know what happened to him. Every day gets harder," said Bernard with wet eyes. "This is hard. This is killing me inside. I just want my baby. All I want is my son home."
Now community members are sending their prayers to the grieving families.
"I imagine it's very devastating. It may raise awareness to a lot of families to maybe reach in deeper and communicate better with their children. To maybe figure out who they are hanging with, who they are around, maybe hold on a little bit tighter," Baytown resident Justin Chessher said.
We reached out to the victims' families Thursday evening. Alex Chavez's mom said her family won't be making any comments soon.
