HOUSTON — A new forensic artist's image may be the key to identifying a young male whose remains were found in a wooded area of west Harris County nearly a year ago.
Concerns about roaming dogs led to the disturbing discovery last October off Barker Cypress Road near Morton Road.
The young man was believed to be between 16 and 22 years old. Forensics experts believe he was from 5 feet, 10 inches tall to 6 feet, 4 inches.
A unique sweatshirt found on the scene may also be a clue in the case. The gray “Pearland Girls Softball Association” sweatshirt, a pair of khaki shorts and a black Airwalk sneaker were found near the skeletal remains.
The softball association shared the information on its Facebook page and tagged the original National Center for Missing and Exploited Children post in hopes someone might recognize the victim. They haven't uncovered any connection to the group yet.
Investigators are still hoping the forensic image may finally give the victim a name and bring closure to a family with a missing loved one.
For Crystal Lopez, every new sketch gives her fresh hope. Her 19-year-old son, Jonathon “Gio” Giorgianni, vanished in 2022 when the family lived in the Houston area.
“When I saw the African-American component, I thought, 'Eh, probably not' but still, you see that age range and you’re thinking 'Who knows?'" Crystal Lopez told us.
Like many others with missing loved ones, Lopez always carefully examines any new sketches -- just in case.
“You never know. These sketches aren’t perfect, so you can’t rule it out," Lopez said. "You always have to just follow up, cross your Ts and dot your Is."
She said Gio was last seen alive on January 13, 2022.
“He had met a girl that lived out in southeast Houston and so he went to go visit her on New Year’s and was there for a couple weeks with her and then nothing after that," she told us back then. "Just no contact with anyone. No one seems to know where he’s at or where he could possibly be.”
She said there's been nothing on his Instagram, Snapchat or email since then.
“Your mind races. It’s hard to sleep at night," Lopez said.
Other skeletal remains found in same area
There have been at least two other cases of human remains found near Barker Cypress in the last year.
On July 25, 2023, human bones were found in a wooded area near the Katy Freeway and Barker Cypress, according to Sheriff Ed Gonzalez. That's less than three miles from the October case.
This past January 16, a skull was found in some woods along Baker Road, which is just south of the Katy Freeway about a mile from Barker Cypress Road., Gonzalez said.
There's no indication the three cases are connected.
Anyone with information about these cases or any other missing persons case should contact law enforcement.
