Lancaster property human remains tied to two missing men
Lancaster property human remains found in shallow desert graves have been identified as two recently missing local men, Ricky Phillips, 61, and Edward Perez, 46, authorities said. Detectives dug for two days near 50th Street East and Avenue F; the homicide case remains open with no arrests announced.
Key Takeaways
- The Los Angeles County medical examiner identified the bodies as Lancaster-area residents Ricky Phillips and Edward Perez.
- Phillips was reported missing on Sept. 10; Perez was reported missing on Sept. 19.
- Sheriff’s detectives ended a multi-day dig on a large plot near 50th Street East and Avenue F and also searched a second Lancaster address.
- Officials treated the discovery as a homicide and looked for additional victims; no arrests have been announced.
The find has unsettled neighbors and anyone watching Lancaster-area property and home listings, because the remains turned up on remote land beside a ramshackle home—not a typical residential spotlight.
Who were the men found at the Lancaster site?
According to the Los Angeles Times, Phillips was described as a white male and Perez as a Hispanic male. Both were from the Lancaster area.
ABC7 Los Angeles reported that the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner released the names after the bodies were recovered at the remote property. Authorities have not said publicly what connection, if any, existed between the two men.
How were the Lancaster property human remains discovered?
Investigators began digging Tuesday after missing-persons reports led them to the desert site. Cadaver dogs, deputies with shovels, and a backhoe worked the ground into Wednesday, the Times reported.
The Guardian, citing local coverage, said the bodies were found in a shallow grave and that officials later dug in new areas nearby while searching for more victims. KTLA footage showed medical examiner staff on scene as the work continued.
A second property in the 43000 block of Blooming Park Street in Lancaster was also searched Tuesday. Plastic storage bins were visible in the driveway there. A man at that location was briefly handcuffed and placed in a patrol car, then released. There were no arrests.
What happens next in the investigation?
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Justin Pyon said detectives had ended their search “on a large plot of land” near 50th Street East and Avenue F. He said no further details would be released while the cases remain under investigation.
The Sheriff’s Department has not disclosed the condition of the remains or how long they may have been buried. Outside the department’s homicide classification, little is publicly known about the circumstances of the deaths.
Anyone with information can contact the Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. Lancaster, a city of just over 170,000 about 70 miles north of Los Angeles, has otherwise seen homicides fall sharply in recent city data—making this desert discovery stand out.