The case began after 18-year-old Markavious Rumph Jr. was reported missing in Eufaula.
EUFAULA, Ala. — Eufaula police are investigating charred remains found Monday during the search for missing 18-year-old Markavious Rumph Jr., whose family said he vanished after leaving with a friend last week.
The discovery shifted the case from a missing-person search to a death investigation, though police said the remains had not been officially identified. Authorities said the condition of the remains made confirmation difficult, and investigators were working with other agencies to process the wooded scene in Barbour County.
Police said Rumph was last seen at Beeline #3 Gas Station, where he got into a black Nissan. His family reported him missing May 7. When he did not return, relatives organized their own search and went to an area near White Oak Church Road. The search included 12 people, ATVs, drones and a hound dog before the remains were found.
Danny Christ with Eufaula police said the department understood the family’s decision to search but had to preserve the case through legal procedures. “We still have to do things legally and we have to follow our process and procedures,” Christ said. Police later secured the area and began collecting evidence with help from the Barbour County Sheriff’s Office and the State Bureau of Investigation.
Search party member Eliza Franklin said relatives saw the remains before police arrived. She said the discovery deeply affected the teen’s mother, father and brother. Family members said they believed the remains were Rumph’s, but police have not announced a forensic match. Officials also have not released a cause of death, a motive or any charges.
Investigators were using cadaver dogs and fire marshals while reviewing possible burn areas and other evidence near the scene. Christ said police had suspects, but he did not name them. “We’re coming for you,” he said in a message directed at anyone involved in what he called a horrific crime.
Rumph’s relatives described him as a young man with plans. They said he had earned his GED and was preparing for welding school. Those details have become central to the family’s grief as they wait for police and forensic officials to confirm the identity of the remains and explain what happened.
The case remained open Thursday. The next steps include official identification, continued crime scene review and a decision on whether charges will be filed.
Author note: Last updated May 14, 2026.