Missing Alabama Teen Feared Dead as Family Finds Charred Remains; Parents Claim Police Failed to Assist

The family of a missing Alabama teen says they have found his charred remains. Markavious “Mark” Rumph Jr., 18, was last seen at a gas station on the night of May 6 in Eufaula. After he failed to reach his grandmother’s home, his family reported him missing.

Meanwhile, the family began searching for him on their own with the help of local volunteers. After five days of efforts, Markavious’ parents discovered a charred and dismembered body in the woods and alerted the authorities.

The police are currently examining the remains to confirm the victim’s identity. However, Markavious’ family believes the body belongs to him. His parents are devastated and are asking the authorities to find and arrest the culprits soon.

“They basically burned my baby, shot my baby, burned him up and chopped him up. I’m dealing with it the best I can right now,” the teen’s father, Marcus Rumph, said in a statement to WRBL. His mother, Yolanda Wynn, said they received no help from the Eufaula Police Department in searching for him.

“I looked for five days for my son, with no help from the Eufaula Police Department. Me and my family in the rain on Mother’s Day, I walked through those woods,” Yolanda said. On the other hand, police said they are still investigating the case and awaiting DNA test results to identify the victim.

The Barbour County Sheriff’s Office and the State Bureau of Investigation are probing the case along with the Eufaula Police Department. “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,” a police spokesperson told KJCT.

Police added that they have identified the suspects but need to gather more evidence before issuing arrest warrants.

“Again, we’re making sure we have every piece of evidence laid in place so when we do issue warrants for the suspects, we’re rock solid,” the spokesperson said.

According to the family, the crime might have been committed by someone known to Markavious. “They gotta pay. I want everybody that’s involved to pay for my son. Everybody,” Yolanda said.

A family friend has also launched a GoFundMe campaign to help the family during this time of grief. The fundraiser states Markavious had a bright future ahead of him, as he had recently passed the General Educational Development (GED) test.

“[Markavious] was truly aiming for the stars, inspiring those around him with his determination and hope. Tragically, Mark’s life was cut short in a senseless crime in Eufaula, Alabama, leaving his parents, Yolanda Lynn and Mark Rumph, and the community heartbroken and searching for answers,” the campaign states.

At the time of writing, the fundraiser is close to achieving its $28,000 goal, having raised $26,805 from over 600 donations. The case remains under investigation and more details are expected to come out later.