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IDAHO FALLS — The family of a missing man from eastern Idaho is demanding a private investigator stop his involvement in the search for their son.
Dylan Rounds, 19, vanished over a month ago while farming in the rural town of Lucin near the Utah/Nevada border. He last spoke with his grandmother on May 28. Since then, nobody has heard from him, and other than a pair of Rounds' boots on the property, there has been no sign of him anywhere.
James Terry with Gulf Coast Investigation in Florida has been investigating the case, but on Thursday, Idaho Falls-based attorney Ronald Swafford sent Terry a cease-and-desist letter on behalf of Rounds' parents, Justin Rounds and Candice Cooley.
"My office has been retained by the Rounds and Cooley families to send this letter to you and demand that you immediately cease and desist your continued nonauthorized involvement in the Dylan Rounds case," Swafford wrote. "You have made malicious, unfounded and incorrect statements and have made verbal and written attacks on the Rounds and Cooley families."
Terry has spoken about the case on videos posted online, and Swafford wrote that Terry's words are "damaging the integrity and effectiveness of the entire investigation."
Since Rounds disappeared, multiple searches have been conducted in the Lucin and Montello, Nevada, areas. The FBI is assisting the Box Elder County Sheriff's Office with the investigation, and people who knew Rounds have been interviewed by law enforcement.
Rounds' parents say they are focused on finding their son and don't want Terry's private investigation to be a distraction.
"Your actions are diverting the focus from finding Dylan Rounds to what appears to be your own personal vendetta and/or to promote yourself at the expense of the truth," Swafford wrote. "The family of Dylan Rounds do not want to waste their time, resources and energy with any further action against you in this matter and therefore request your immediate compliance."
