Brian Michael Burns, 55, was last seen December 19, 2013, at his home in the 1300 block of 180th Street in Manchester, Iowa. He told a brother he was waiting for a ride from an unknown person and left without any identification. Burns did not have a driver’s license, vehicle, or cell phone, and a family member reported him missing on December 23, 2013.

The case went cold for years. Brian was legally declared dead in Delaware County District Court in 2021, though the missing person case stayed open. On November 5, 2023, pheasant hunters found human remains about one mile south of his home; DNA testing in January 2024 confirmed the remains were Brian’s. The area had seen significant snowfall soon after he disappeared. The cause of death has not been determined and the investigation remains active. Authorities interviewed cousin Jerry Burns in connection with the disappearance and with unrelated previous deaths, but say they have no evidence implicating him in Brian’s case.

If anyone knew Brian’s movements in mid-December 2013 or saw someone give him a ride, please come forward with information.