It has been confirmed by Concord police that the body found on the side of Highway 4 Saturday afternoon belongs to missing teenager Damond Lazenby Jr.
Several hours after last being seen New Year’s Day, 19-year-old Lazenby was declared missing. As they prepared for another day of searching and putting up flyers, family members received a tip about the teen’s whereabouts.
A phone call made by a woman indicated the location of the missing person’s body. Earlier this week, Damond’s green Volkswagen was found with a flat tire and its engine running just past the Port Chicago Highway exit.
Several lanes were closed for hours while the California Highway Patrol investigated. Damond was found in an area where he was already searched by family members. They called the circumstances “suspicious.”
Kevin Hope, a family member that was part of the search, said, “We had walked and searched the area days prior to where the body was actually found today, and that’s why we don’t think the body was there because we actually walked it ourselves.”
ATVs, drones, and K9s were also used by Concord police to scour the area.
This past week, the area received several storms, but Damond didn’t appear dirty. This also led to suspicions about whether the Damond Lanzenby Jr.’s body was in that location the entire seven days of the search.
The investigation is being handled by the CHP. According to officers, the coroner will determine the cause of death and cannot confirm any details from the family.
As a result, Damond’s loved ones have appealed to anyone who may have seen a vehicle stopped near Highway 4 where his body was discovered. They are asking anyone with that information to contact the police.