HOUSTON — A new highly specialized team of investigators is taking on missing persons cases across Texas inspired by Jason Landry, a Houston-area college student who vanished in 2020.
Justin McInnis, the president and CEO of Texas Search and Rescue (TEXSAR), said the group has played a big role in the search for Landry.
“Missing persons is near and dear to us," he said. "That’s what kind of brought upon the Missing Persons Unit, going through the Jason Landry case."
So, TEXSAR hired a retired Texas Ranger, Todd Snyder, to help them out.
“Almost 30 years in law enforcement and 19 of those years with the Texas Ranger, you get a lot of experience and work some of the most heinous crimes that are out there," Snyder said.
Snyder leads TEXSAR's Missing Persons Unit.
“Search parties, ground search teams, whether that’s K9s, aerial assets, even now a mounted unit,” he said, listing the resources TEXSAR has available.
The group's goal is to bring home missing people, like Jason Landry.
"We want nothing more than to see this program grow, be successful – ultimately it’s bringing closure to those families of the missing," Snyder said.
These resources are available to people searching for missing loved ones free of charge, all they have to do is make the request through their local law enforcement agency. TEXSAR needs that official invitation before they can start working a case.