The remains of 16-year-old Jordan Dupree Collins Jr., known as “Manny,” were discovered at a Waste Management Landfill in Elk River, Minnesota, on Saturday, June 28, 2025, following nearly a month of intensive searching by law enforcement agencies.
Collins disappeared on May 8, 2025, near the 4900 block of University Avenue Northeast in Columbia Heights, Minnesota. He had been living at an apartment building with his father since mid-April and was scheduled to return to his mother, Ashley Berry, in June.
Anoka County Sheriff Brad Wise explained that the search focus shifted to the landfill on June 4 after authorities received information leading to a video showing evidence suggesting Collins’ body may have been placed in a dumpster and transported by garbage truck. The remains arrived at the landfill from a dumpster in Columbia Heights, with authorities determining Collins likely died between May 8 and May 13.
The extensive search operation involved hundreds of personnel from more than 30 agencies, including the FBI, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Columbia Heights Police Department, and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Search teams combed through a section of the landfill the size of a football field, approximately four feet deep.
An autopsy has been completed, but Collins’ cause of death remains undetermined, according to Columbia Heights Police Chief Matt Markham. The investigation continues with multiple agencies working to determine the circumstances surrounding his death.
Law enforcement officials had characterized Collins’ disappearance as involuntary from early in the investigation. Sheriff Wise indicated at a May 29 press conference that authorities believed the teenager’s disappearance was against his will and feared worse outcomes. The case was never treated as a typical runaway situation.
Collins’ mother described unusual behavior patterns that raised immediate concerns. The teenager typically maintained daily contact with family members and regularly used social media platforms. Following his disappearance, his cellphone was activated only once for three minutes, he failed to access his CashApp allowance, and maintained no communication with family or friends.
Berry had offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to her son’s return before his remains were discovered. She spent weeks distributing flyers throughout the community and conducting her own searches while law enforcement agencies pursued their investigation.
The FBI formally joined the investigation on July 1, 2025, deploying specialized units including the Evidence Response Team, Laboratory Evidence Response Team Unit, and Technical Hazardous Response Unit from Quantico, Virginia. The bureau’s involvement signaled the complex nature of the case and the need for advanced forensic capabilities.
On July 7, the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of 38-year-old Jordan Dupree Collins Sr. of Columbia Heights in connection with the death of his son, “Manny.”
The apartment building where Collins lived with his father has been designated as a crime scene. Investigators have conducted multiple witness interviews and continue processing forensic evidence collected from various locations. Law enforcement crews returned to the landfill on July 1 to search for additional evidence connected to Collins’ death.
Authorities continue encouraging anyone with information about Collins’ death to contact the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension at 1-877-996-6222 or submit tips via email to bca.tips@state.mn.us. The multi-agency investigation remains ongoing with federal, state, and local resources dedicated to the case.
The case represents one of the most extensive missing person investigations in the region, involving sophisticated search techniques and coordination between multiple law enforcement agencies. The discovery of Collins’ remains at the landfill marked a significant development in the two-month investigation that distressed the Twin Cities community.
