The connection between a missing Harris County man and the discovery of human remains in a burned home continues to deepen.
In August, Kelvin Newton vanished on the same day the northeast Harris County home he had been staying in was intentionally set on fire.
On Saturday, human remains were found inside the Villagrove Drive home by its new owner, who had recently purchased the property and was remodeling it.
Newton’s family told media they are unsure whether the remains belong to him or someone else.
Newton’s teenage daughter, Jasmine, revealed that her father had told her there was a body inside the home before the fire. At the time, she dismissed his comments because Newton struggled with addiction and schizophrenia. She noted that he appeared to be under the influence of drugs when he made the statement.
The family said they had contacted the Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office multiple times, urging them to search the burned home for remains. Their last contact with the office was about two weeks before the remains were discovered.
Harris County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Ben Beall explained that the fire department did not search through the home’s debris because “they had no reason to believe the house was occupied.”
Two of the family’s dogs also perished in the fire.
“The fire department should have done a better job of listening to us and searching for that body because we wanted closure,” said Angel Santiago, Newton’s son-in-law.
The family is now waiting for DNA testing to determine the identity of the remains. Investigators have informed them that the process could take several months.
The home, where the remains were discovered, once belonged to Newton’s family. They had sold it before the fire, but Newton reportedly refused to leave and had a tendency to barricade himself inside.
Sgt. Beall noted that Newton was scheduled for eviction during the week the fire occurred.
