Investigation into Reading man's 2015 disappearance now a criminal investigation

EXETER TWP., Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- Human remains that were found in Berks County are those of a man who vanished eight years ago, police said Monday.

Twenty-one-year-old Anthony Rodriguez of Reading, Pa. was last seen on Mother's Day of 2015.

People who were with him at the time say Rodriguez walked into the forest behind an area referred to as the "Five Points" in Exeter Township, then vanished.

Local investigators, along with the Pennsylvania State Police and the FBI, got their first break in the case during the spring of 2020.

"Two human femur bones were located. The remains were sent for DNA analysis and later determined to belong to Anthony Rodriguez," said Exeter Township Police Det. Joseph Mallone.

Those remains were found deep in the wooded area, about a mile away from where he was last seen.

But now, three years after that discovery, no further remains have been found and the ensuing investigation of those bones yielded no further clues.

"There was no animal disturbance on the bones, and there was no cut marks or anything like that found on the bones to indicate a manner or cause of death," Det. Sgt. Rocco DeCamillo said.

While investigators are stopping short of referring to the death of Anthony Rodriguez as a homicide, they do say this probe has gone from a missing person case to a criminal investigation.

"It wasn't really until we discovered the partial remains," says DeCamillo, "that we started going in a different direction that this may be a criminal matter now."

If you have any information regarding the case involving Anthony Rodriguez you may be eligible for a $10,000 reward.

Please contact Exeter Township Police if you can help.