JADED EVIDENCE · INTERACTIVE INVESTIGATION CASE FILE
Joshua Ian Larkin: Disappearance, Dismissed Charges and Remains Search
Updated October 24, 2026 · Browse investigations · Trials & Court Proceedings
Case overview and current legal status
The investigation into Joshua Ian Larkin’s disappearance continues across Newton and Jasper counties, Texas. Authorities announced dismissal of murder charges against Justin James and Johnathan “Cody” Bierhalter on September 17, 2026. This file does not present those dismissed charges as pending. [1]
Court and jurisdiction
Authorities cited uncertainty about where Larkin’s death occurred. The sheriff’s statement distinguished the reasons for each dismissal and said location could affect refiling. An investigative announcement of possible refiling is not a new charge. [1]
Prosecutors and defense attorneys
The September statement identifies Jasper County District Attorney John Burt and Newton County District Attorney Courtney Ponthier as participating in the investigation. It does not identify each defendant’s counsel. [1]
Victim background
Larkin disappeared on November 17, 2022, after telling his mother he was going hunting near a cat refuge outside Kirbyville. Reporting says his locked vehicle was found with belongings inside. [2]
People and documented roles
Justin James and Johnathan Bierhalter: subjects of the dismissed murder charges. Rodney Allen Blankenship Jr.: separately sentenced in an evidence-tampering case. These are distinct procedural histories. [1] [3]
Interactive timeline
November 17, 2022 — Disappearance
Larkin was last seen by his mother before the planned hunting trip. [2]
April 16, 2026 — Tampering sentence reported
12News reported an eight-year sentence for Rodney Allen Blankenship Jr. for evidence tampering linked to the case. [3]
September 17, 2026 — Murder charges dismissed
KFDM reported the sheriff’s announcement concerning James and Bierhalter. [1]
September 24, 2026 — Remains discovered
Adult human remains were found near the refuge area. The sheriff said DNA analysis and identification would follow; the announcement did not identify them as Larkin’s. [2]
Investigation and evidence
Dismissal reasons
The sheriff said further investigation did not support the murder charge against James. For Bierhalter, authorities described information pointing to a possible death location in Jasper rather than Newton County. The two explanations should not be collapsed into one. [1]
Remains and identification
The remains were to be submitted to the University of North Texas. Proximity to a disappearance location is not a DNA identification. [2]
Prosecution and defense positions
Investigators: authorities describe an active death/disappearance inquiry and unresolved location issues. Defense: the reviewed reports do not set out detailed defense submissions. Dismissal is a procedural fact; its scope must be read separately for each person.
Courtroom developments
The documented outcomes include dismissals and a separate tampering sentence. The cited sources do not report a murder trial or establish that the recovered remains belong to Larkin.
Witnesses and testimony
Larkin’s mother is identified as a last-seen source. No complete trial witness list is provided. A person’s appearance in investigative reporting does not establish participation in a crime.
Verdict, sentencing and appeals
12News reports Blankenship’s eight-year tampering sentence. That sentence is not a murder conviction. The two September murder-charge dismissals and the unresolved remains identification remain separately described. [3]
Key questions and documented answers
Are the remains Larkin’s? The announcement reviewed did not establish identification. Were both murder charges dismissed for the same reason? The sheriff gave distinct explanations. Does the tampering sentence establish who killed Larkin? The reported conviction does not itself resolve homicide responsibility.