SAN DIEGO — There are new developments in a missing persons case involving a former Navy SEAL and a Chinese tourist. More human remains were found in the Anza-Borrego desert over the weekend.
The remains found on Saturday are believed to be those of missing Chinese tourist, Fang Jin, 47, according to an attorney associated with he case who spoke to a private investigator hired by Jin's family. The remains believed to be those of ex-Navy SEAL John Fitzpatrick, 52, were found by a camper on September 17 in Harper Canyon.
“All indications are that they found remains on Saturday,” said attorney, David Schmidt.
At the request of San Diego Sheriff's investigators, Fitzpatrick's autopsy has been sealed. The San Diego County Medical Examiner’s office has not positively identified either set of remains, though the families of both Fitzpatrick and Jin have been notified of the discoveries.
The private investigator told Schmidt that the San Diego County Sheriff's Department notified Jin's family over the weekend.
“They were notified by the San Diego Sheriff's office. Whether they were notified directly or whether it was routed through the private investigator, I'm not sure. I do not know why the notification was only to the family, and that there was no further notification beyond that, either to me or to the public,” said Schmidt.
A spokesperson for the San Bernardino County Sheriff emailed CBS 8 the following statement:
“The missing person cases of Fang Jin and John Fitzpatrick are still active and there is no update at this time. Our department has learned from the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department that human remains were located over the weekend in the Anza Borrego area. However, no positive identity of the remains has been reported to us. Any further questions about the discovery should be directed to the San Diego Sheriff’s Department.”
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department did not respond to a CBS 8 request for comment regarding the discovery of remains.
High temperatures in the Anza-Borrego during the week of July 22 when the couple went missing ranged from 106 and 117, according to historical weather data.
Shortly thereafter, Fitzpatrick’s 4-wheel-drive Toyota Tacoma was found damaged and abandoned in the area south of the Harper Flat, according to a law enforcement source. The date the truck was discovered has not been released.
Attorney Schmidt got word of the discovery over the weekend.
“You have a 47-year-old woman with two beautiful daughters, one in college, the other young girl’s something like 7 years old. And all of a sudden, they don't have a mother. And so, it hits you that it's a tragedy,” said Schmidt.
Jin flew to California on July 14 from her home in China to meet up with Fitzpatrick, 52, who lived in Morongo Valley.
“She came here for romantic purposes had been texting him for something like six months prior to coming here. And they definitely had rapport. And her expectation was that he was going to show her around the area, Morongo Valley, Morongo Basin, Joshua Tree State Park, and see whether the relationship developed,” said Schmidt.
Fitzpatrick’s truck remains abandoned in the desert, according to a law enforcement source, who said it’s going to take a helicopter to get it out.
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EDITOR'S UPDATE: On November 2, 2023 the San Diego County Sheriff's Department responded to a CBS 8 public records request by writing, "The truck was located on 9/4/23." Additionally, a lieutenant with the San Diego County Sheriff's media relations office emailed CBS 8 the following statement:
"I can confirm remains were located in the Anza Borrego park. The remains were located in the general vicinity of Mr. Fitzpatrick's. The remains have not been positively identified by the Medical Examiner's office at this time. I cannot confirm whether our office will be doing a press release at this time as we have not received information which may lead us to conducting one."