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Second set of human remains identified in Colorado, suspect remains in custody on unrelated charges

Suspect nicknamed 'Psycho' has not been charged in connection to the deaths
Shayla Jenna Hammel and scene.jpg
Human remains found 2_Conejos County Sheriff's Office
Posted at 2:34 PM, Dec 30, 2020
and last updated 2020-12-30 16:34:53-05

CONEJOS COUNTY, Colo. — A second set of human remains has been identified from a property in the San Luis Valley, about three weeks after the first set was identified.

On Nov. 10, investigators found human remains as they conducted a search warrant in a rural location in the county near the town of Las Sauces. The remains included at least three people.

After the discovery, authorities announced they were searching for a suspect named Adre Jordan Baroz, 26, who was well-known in the area by the nickname "Psycho." He was taken into custody on Nov. 19 in New Mexico.

The first set of remains was identified as Myron Robert Martinez, 37, of Del Norte in early December.

According to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, a forensic odontologist — a specially trained dentist trained to identify unknown remains — successfully identified a second set of remains as Shayla Jenna Hammel, 34, of Saguache.

A family member reported her missing on Nov. 26 to the Saguache County Sheriff’s Office and said they hadn't been in contact with Hammel since late October, according to the Southern Colorado Law Enforcement Task Force.

Shayla Jenna Hammel_death in San Luis Valley
Shayla Jenna Hammel

The cause and manner of her death are under investigation, but investigators said they believe foul play was involved, according to the task force.

Investigators are continuing to work to identify a third set of human remains in the county.

"Law enforcement cannot comment on any other specific information or connection to the remains found in Conejos County due to the status of the active investigation," the task force said.

Baroz, who is currently being held in the Alamosa County Jail on unrelated charges, has not been charged in connection to the death of Hammel or Martinez.

Anybody with information on this case or the deaths should call the designated tip line at 719-270-0210. More than 60 tips have been reported since November.

This story was first published by Stephanie Butzer at KMGH in Denver, Colorado.