UNEXPLAINED
Two Missing Men Found Buried in Lancaster, California
A search for a missing person in Lancaster, California, led investigators to a chilling discovery: two men buried on a remote desert property. Identified as Ricky Phillips and Edward Perez, their deaths have left investigators searching for answers. How did two missing men end up at the same location, and are their disappearances connected?
LANCASTER, CALIFORNIA — SEPTEMBER 2026
A missing-person investigation brought detectives to a remote property in Lancaster, California.
What they discovered transformed the search into a homicide investigation.
On September 29, 2026, investigators uncovered the remains of two men buried on a sprawling desert property.
Both were later identified as local men who had been reported missing.
Their names were Ricky Phillips, 61, and Edward Perez, 46.
But identifying the men was only the beginning.
The Search That Changed Everything
On Tuesday morning, September 29, deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department arrived at a property near 50th Street East and Avenue F.
They were carrying out a search connected to a missing-person investigation.
The location was isolated and cluttered with abandoned vehicles, debris and deteriorating structures.
Investigators brought cadaver dogs and excavation equipment to examine the property.
During the search, they discovered human remains.
Then they found a second set.
What had begun as an effort to locate a missing person was now being investigated as a possible homicide involving two men.
## Who Were the Two Men?
Authorities identified the deceased as:
Ricky Phillips — 61 years old
Phillips was a Lancaster-area resident who had been reported missing in September 2026. According to a sheriff's missing-person bulletin, he was last seen on August 30 in Lancaster.
Edward Perez — 46 years old
Perez was also from the Lancaster area. Authorities said he had been reported missing on September 19, 2026.
Both men were eventually discovered at the same remote property.
Investigators had not publicly established whether the two men knew each other or whether their disappearances were connected.
Two Days of Searching
The discovery triggered an extensive investigation.
Detectives searched the property over September 29 and 30, using cadaver dogs and digging equipment.
Aerial news footage showed investigators examining multiple areas of the site, including ground near a deteriorating greenhouse.
Authorities also searched another Lancaster property during the investigation.
The search at the main location subsequently concluded, but the investigation into the deaths continued.
What Happened to Ricky Phillips and Edward Perez?
That remains the central question.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner identified both men, but their causes and manners of death had not been publicly determined in the initial reports.
Authorities also had not publicly established:
- How either man died.
- How long their remains had been buried.
- Whether the two disappearances were connected.
- Why both men were found at the same location.
- Whether another person was responsible for their deaths.
The Sheriff's Department treated the circumstances as a homicide investigation. That classification does not, by itself, establish a final medical-examiner ruling or identify a suspect.
A Community Waiting for Answers
The discovery raised difficult questions for residents and, most importantly, for the families and friends of the two men.
Two missing-person investigations had led to one location.
The identification of the remains brought clarity about who had been found, but not about what happened to them.
Investigators have not publicly established a motive or identified a person responsible in the reporting reviewed for this article.
The case remains an active investigation.
Timeline of the Lancaster Case
August 30, 2026 — Ricky Phillips was last seen in Lancaster, according to a missing-person bulletin.
September 10, 2026 — Authorities recorded Phillips as reported missing.
September 19, 2026 — Edward Perez was reported missing.
September 29, 2026 — Sheriff's investigators searched a remote Lancaster property and discovered two sets of human remains.
September 30, 2026 — Investigators continued examining the property.
October 1–2, 2026 — Authorities publicly confirmed the identities of Ricky Phillips and Edward Perez.
October 3, 2026 — Updated news coverage continued to describe the investigation as active.
The Questions That Remain
Why were two missing men found buried at the same property?
Were their disappearances connected, or did separate events lead investigators to the same location?
What evidence brought detectives to this particular stretch of desert?
Until investigators release further findings, those questions remain unanswered.
Chill Crew will continue following the case as verified information becomes available.
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Have Information About This Case?
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500.
Anonymous tips can also be submitted through Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.
Sources
- NBC Los Angeles — *2 Men Found Buried at Lancaster Property Identified as Investigation Continues
- CBS Los Angeles — *2 Bodies Uncovered by LA County Detectives on Lancaster Property Identified
- ABC7 Los Angeles — *2 Bodies Found on Lancaster Property Identified as Missing People
- Los Angeles Times — *Mystery Surrounds Case of 2 Men Who Disappeared, Then Were Found in Shallow Desert Graves
*Editorial note: This article reflects information publicly reported through October 3, 2026. Allegations, unverified social media claims and speculation have been excluded.
