Markavious “Mark” Rumph, the 18-year-old Eufaula, Ala., teen whose disappearance sparked a volunteer-led search, was found dead after human remains were discovered in Barbour County, according to WTVM. His family says they spent days searching on their own before they found his dismembered remains.  

“That last day that we found him, I told him. I said, we're going to find him today. I felt it in my heart because I had to pray too hard about it,” his mother, Yolanda Lynn, said to WTVM.

They’ve also raised questions about the lack of response from the police. The grim discovery has rattled the small Alabama community, and the news has spread quickly online. 

Eufaula police said Rumph was last seen on May 6 at a gas station, and officers later confirmed remains had been found near White Oak Road, though the victim’s identity was not immediately released. Family members later identified the remains as Rumph, and local coverage said they believed the teen had also been shot and burned.

Relatives told reporters that they organized searches with help from volunteers after feeling they were not receiving enough support from authorities. The family’s account has fueled outrage and sympathy online, where people have also shared a GoFundMe to help with funeral expenses. Authorities have not publicly named a suspect, and the investigation remains open.

Rumph's heartbreaking story has hit a particular nerve for many, raising long-held frustrations about how Black teens and children are prioritized when it comes to missing cases. 

“Right now, we’re at a standstill, we’re waiting on DNA and positive identification. As you know, in the state of Alabama, that could take a while. This is not NCIS or CSI on TV,” police said, per WTVM.