VICTORVILLE, Calif. – The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department announced today that they have ended the search for missing 6-year-old Duke Flores at the Victorville Landfill.
On Friday, June 21, 2019, the final day of the search, search crews were disappointed with the outcome when they learned it would be the end of their search without any remains found. The search was not easy, those searching dug through 6500-7000 tons (13-14 million pounds) of garbage. The search went on for nearly two months, beginning on April 29, 2019, until June 21, 2019.
Homicide Detectives, deputies, Sheriff’s Department volunteers, K-9 Units, Coroner Investigators, District Attorney Investigators, and personnel from the landfill all dedicated 8 weeks to the search. “This is not the outcome we had hoped for, “Sheriff John McMahon added “but we knew going into this search that there was a chance we would not locate Duke. I am extremely proud of the dedication shown by every person who continued to show up day after day, desperately hoping to locate the young boy.”
Duke Flores, 6, of Apple Valley, was learned to be missing when his grandmother requested a welfare check on April 25, 2019, at his Apple Valley home. When they responded, Jackee Contreras, Duke’s 29-year-old mother said that she had not seen him for around two weeks. She was subsequently arrested the same night for Child Neglect due to the fact that Duke had not been reported missing. Jackee Contreras was interviewed on April 27, 2019, and was then also booked for Murder. The same day, after interviews with the family, Duke’s aunt, Jackee’s twin sister, Jennifer Contreras was also booked for Murder.
“Through investigation, detectives had reason to believe that Jackee and Jennifer hold responsibility for the disappearance and death of Duke Flores,” San Bernardino County Sheriff’s officials said in a News Release. “They think the sister’s discarded the boy’s body in a dumpster near the family home on Cherokee Avenue in Apple Valley. The suspects remain in custody and are scheduled for court on June 26th.”
The investigation is ongoing, and anyone who may have information regarding this investigation is urged to contact the Specialized Investigations Division, Detective Narcie Sousa at (909) 387-3589 or Sheriff’s dispatch at (909) 387-8313. Callers can remain anonymous and contact WeTip at 1-800-78CRIME (27463) or www.wetip.com
