Middletown, NJ — After nearly nine years of uncertainty, a New Jersey mother has finally received heartbreaking confirmation about her missing son. Authorities have identified human remains found near a local bike trail in 2024 as belonging to John Paul Fernandez, a Seton Hall University student who vanished in December 2015.
John Paul was 23 years old when he disappeared from his Middletown home on December 13, 2015. His family had been searching ever since, hoping for answers that seemed to never come.
Remains Discovered Near Bike Trail
Investigators with the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the Middletown Police Department responded to reports of human remains on November 4, 2024, near Willow Street, a quiet dead-end residential area parallel to the Henry Hudson Bike Trail.
According to a statement from the prosecutor’s office, there did not “appear to be anything suspicious in nature” about the discovery at the time. The case remained under review as forensic experts worked to determine the identity of the remains.
As reported by PEOPLE, officials later confirmed that DNA testing matched the remains to John Paul Fernandez. His mother, Ninia Fernandez, was informed of the positive identification on October 14, 2025, by members of the Middletown Police Department.
A Mother’s Heartbreaking Closure
On November 1, 2025, Ninia shared the news publicly through a deeply emotional Facebook post, announcing that her son had finally been found.
“There are no words to describe the pain and the countless tears we have cried for him — every single day, for every year he was gone,” she wrote. “While this brings heartbreaking closure, it also brings peace to finally bring our son home.”
Ninia described her son as a young man with “a gentle and giving heart” who loved to make people laugh.
“He was quirky, funny, and full of life — the kind of person who could make anyone laugh with his animated stories and contagious energy. That was who he was: dependable, kind, and never afraid to be himself.”
Remembering a Kind and Joyful Spirit
John Paul had been studying accounting at Seton Hall University and was preparing for graduation when he went missing. His disappearance in 2015 prompted widespread searches and years of social media campaigns led by family and friends.
Ninia expressed her gratitude to the many people who stood by her family through the long ordeal, including community members, volunteers, and investigators.
“Thank you to everyone who helped us look for JP, prayed with us, and never stopped hoping alongside our family,” she wrote.
She also extended appreciation to the Middletown Police Department detectives, Monmouth County investigators, and New Jersey State forensic team for their “dedication and persistence” in finally helping “bring JP home.”
Plans for a Private Memorial
The Fernandez family plans to hold a private funeral service for John Paul, followed by a celebration of life open to all who wish to honor his memory.
“I miss my son so much — every single day,” Ninia wrote. “Thank you, from the depths of our hearts, for never forgetting him.”
John Paul’s story has touched countless people across New Jersey and beyond — a reminder of a family’s enduring hope and the community’s compassion that never faded over the years.
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