The Aporia · Frantic grave-digging effort in California desert uncovers human remains sparking murder investigation two weeks after man goes missing

Frantic grave-digging effort in California desert uncovers human remains sparking murder investigation two weeks after man goes missing

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Jerkovich, K. (2026, September 30). Frantic grave-digging effort in California desert uncovers human remains sparking murder investigation two weeks after man goes missing. New York Post. https://nypost.com/2026/09/29/us-news/two-bodies-found-in-lancaster-desert-during-missing-man-search/

Dated when The Aporia collected the article, usually within hours of publication. Check the original for its exact date and byline.

Quick Summary

Law enforcement in California’s desert region conducted a large-scale excavation near 50th Street East and Avenue F, where human remains were discovered, leading to an ongoing murder investigation. Aerial footage showed investigators digging and marking the site, with cadaver dogs assisting in the search. The sheriff’s office confirmed that the case is being treated as a homicide but did not release any identities or details to protect the integrity of the investigation. This occurred two weeks after Ricky Allen Phillips, 61, went missing near Lancaster; however, authorities have not linked his disappearance directly to this homicide case.

Written by AI on 2026-09-30, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

In Lancaster, California, two bodies were found buried in shallow graves near 50th Street East and Avenue F on September 26, sparking a murder investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The remains identified belong to Edward Perez, 46, who was reported missing on September 19, and Ricky Phillips, 61, who went missing on September 10. Law enforcement officials are now searching for potential additional victims in this remote desert area north of Los Angeles, where the bodies were discovered during an investigation into missing persons cases. The city has a population of just over 170,000 people and is unincorporated, falling under the jurisdiction of Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

Written for “California Desert Murders Investigation” on 2026-11-02, grounded in this article and the 2 other(s) covering the same event.

Compared with similar articles

This article reads unscored and hedges 8% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.

Missing men found dead in shallow graves in California desert as mystery grows Same event

New York Post

Hedges 0 of 11 claims Outlet record 66/100

California homeowner finds remains of 2006 murder victim under house; ex-husband arrested Different event

Times of India

Hedges 6 of 40 claims Outlet record 59/100

“The articles describe different events: one involves remains found under a house in Big Bear Lake, while the other involves an extensive search and discovery near Avenue F and 50th Street East.”

California man charged in the killing of his ex-wife – two decades after she vanished Different event

The Guardian

Hedges 3 of 18 claims Outlet record 66/100

“The articles describe different events - Article A reports on charges filed for a murder that occurred in 2007, while Article B discusses the discovery of human remains and ongoing investigation near Big Bear Lake two weeks prior to its publication.”

Police search for additional victims as two bodies discovered in California Same event

The Guardian

Hedges 3 of 7 claims Outlet record 66/100

California homeowner accidentally solves DECADES old cold case after making gruesome discovery under his crawl space Different event

Daily Mail

Hedges 0 of 14 claims Outlet record 69/100

“The first article describes the discovery of remains under a homeowner's house that solves a cold case, while the second article details a separate investigation involving massive law enforcement efforts and grave-digging in a different location.”

Man arrested six years after his wife’s remains were found in a crawlspace Different event

NBC News

Hedges 2 of 18 claims Outlet record 60/100

“The articles describe different stages of an ongoing case, with Article A reporting the arrest six years after remains were found and Article B describing the initial discovery of human remains sparking a murder investigation.”

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted

sentences that state something as happening or true

Uncertain

1 of 13 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")

Leaning

not political

takes no side on a contested political question

Publisher signals

66/100

New York Post's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.

Outlets on this story

Crime & Law

Same framing elsewhere

articles that frame the event the way this one does

Who wrote this

Katie Jerkovich

57 article(s) here · 0 carrying a prediction

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Also by Katie Jerkovich

21 men busted in California prostitution sting as unwitting johns seen running from cops

2026-11-01 · New York Post

West Coast favorite ice cream chain expands empire with new Bay Area location

2026-11-01 · New York Post

Ex SoCal police sergeant arrested for kidnapping, sexually assaulting colleagues as disturbing details emerge

2026-10-31 · New York Post

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2026-10-28 · New York Post

Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

All 57 articles by Katie Jerkovich →

Claims (13 extracted, 1 hedged)

The remains were found near 50th Street East and Avenue F, where a massive law enforcement presence descended on a property cluttered with debris, RVs and what appeared to be the remains of an old greenhouse. asserted

what → find → greenhouse

Aerial footage showed investigators digging into the ground as evidence markers dotted the property. asserted

markers → show → property

Agents also erected a canopy where photographs and other evidence appeared to be collected. asserted

photographs → erect → canopy

Witnesses reported seeing cadaver dogs scouring the area. “Based on the circumstances surrounding the discovery, the case is now being investigated as a homicide,” a statement from the sheriff’s office read. asserted

statement → report → office

“Homicide investigators are in the early stages of investigating the scene.” asserted

investigators → investigate → scene

Officials said they were withholding the identities of the dead and details surrounding their deaths “to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation.” asserted

they → say → investigation

No other information was released. asserted

information → release → ?

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters Video from KTLA showed agents digging a large hole on the property as the investigation unfolded. asserted

investigation → download → property

The discovery happened near the area where 61-year-old Ricky Allen Phillips disappeared two weeks earlier — but there is no indication from authorities that Phillips is one of the people found or that his disappearance is tied to the homicide investigation. asserted

disappearance → happen → investigation

Phillips was last seen Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, on the 44900 block of 10th Street W in Lancaster, according to an LASD missing-person bulletin. uncertain

Phillips → see → bulletin

The sheriff’s department classified Phillips as an “at-risk missing person,” saying his family was “concerned for his well-being.” asserted

family → classify → being

Phillips is described as 5 feet, 7 inches tall and weighing 230 pounds, with black hair and green eyes. asserted

Phillips → describe → hair

The proximity of the two cases has drawn attention, but for now, authorities have provided no public evidence linking them. asserted

authorities → draw → them

Frantic grave-digging effort in California desert uncovers human remains sparking murder investigation two weeks after man goes missing

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Claims (13 extracted, 1 hedged)