Texas State student from Missouri City missing after car found totaled, abandoned

HOUSTON – Family, friends and law enforcement officers from several agencies are searching for 21-year-old Texas State University student Jason Landry from Missouri City after his totaled and abandoned sedan was found on a dirt road 30 miles from the college.

Landry left from Texas State to return home for the Christmas break Sunday night. A passerby found his crashed-out car along Salt Flat Road around midnight and alerted police.

“We have searched the entire area with DPS helicopters, drones, other agencies have come out, state and local, even the Texas search and rescue with their canines,” said Sgt. Deon Cockrell.

“He’s alone, he doesn’t have his phone or His wallet, and it’s cold outside,” Jason’s mother, Lisa Landry said. “Maybe he’s hurt.”

Her husband, Kent Landry, is the senior pastor at the Southminster Presbyterian Church in Missouri City. The Landrys, their older son and many other extended family members and friends are searching alongside investigators.

“No matter what happens,” Kent Landry said, nearly in tears, “If he walks through the door of my house, or I see him in heaven, that’s where I know we’ll end up.”

“I hope and I pray until we know what happened, and then it’s an eternal hope,” he added. “And that’s the only one that matters.”

“We have a lot of prayers going up and we appreciate that and keep em coming because we haven’t found him yet,” Lisa Landry said.

The Landry family moved to Missouri City a little over a decade ago. Jason, the youngest of three siblings, is in his third year at Texas State.

“All I want to do is hug my boy,” Kent Landry said, crying. “And I just tell every parent, hug your kids. Forgive them. We’ve all made mistakes, we’re all sinners in need of God’s grace and mercy.”

Kent and Lisa Landry ask anyone who is willing to pray for their son and those who are searching.

“We always hope the person’s still there,” Sgt. Cockrell said. “We’re going to keep on searching until we think there’s no hope, which could be two days, three days, four days from now. We’re going to continue searching until we either find him or find an answer.”