BOX ELDER COUNTY, Utah, May 3, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — Skeletal remains reported Saturday to the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office have been identified as those of a missing Pocatello area man, the department announced Friday.
The remains are those of Matthew Jay Broncho, whose vehicle was found abandoned in 2019. Broncho would have been 34 at that time.
“On April 27th, 2024, the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office received a report that skeletal remains were found by an individual who was looking for shed antlers in the remote Hansel Mountains southeast of Snowville, UT,” the Box Elder Sheriff news release says.
“The Utah Office of the Medical Examiner and the Box Elder County Search and Rescue team were called to assist. The skeletal remains were recovered and sent to the Utah Office of the Medical Examiner for further processing and to determine an identity. The Utah Office of the Medical Examiner has identified the remains as Matthew Broncho through the use of dental records.”
The BECSO was alerted on May 24, 2019 that Broncho was reported missing and that his “abandoned pick-up truck had been found on I-84 exit 7 in Snowville, UT. Matthew’s wallet and phone were left in the truck. It was reported that his dog was also missing. The Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office initiated an investigation and search. On March 27th, 2019, Matthew’s dog was found wandering a few miles west of Snowville.”
Multiple agencies and volunteers in Utah and Idaho continued the search, the news release says, but no sign of Broncho was found until last week.
“This continues to be an active investigation and no further information is available for release at this time,” the BECSO statement says.
“We extend our condolences to the family of Matthew Broncho. Although this is difficult news to receive and there are still unanswered questions, we hope they can find some comfort in knowing that he has been found.”
Anyone with information on the case is asked to call the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office at 435-734-3800 or the Fort Hall Police Department. Broncho’s last known address was in Fort Hall, near Pocatello.
