The Final Chapter: 5 Key Facts About The Chance Englebert Case Resolution
The long and agonizing wait for answers in the disappearance of Chance Englebert has finally come to a definitive close. After more than six years of searching, speculation, and tireless advocacy, the mystery surrounding the former rodeo star’s vanishing act from Gering, Nebraska, in 2019 has been tragically resolved with the identification of his skeletal remains.
As of December 2025, the investigation has shifted from a missing person case to a death investigation, providing closure to his family and friends. This article compiles the most current and essential facts, including his full biography, the timeline of his disappearance, and the latest updates on the discovery and identification of his remains.
Chance Leslie Englebert: A Full Biography and Profile
Chance Leslie Englebert was a 25-year-old husband and father whose life was rooted in the rugged landscape of South Dakota and Wyoming. His sudden disappearance captivated true crime communities and launched one of the largest searches in Nebraska history. Here is a detailed look at his life before July 2019:
- Full Name: Chance Leslie Englebert
- Date of Birth: December 2, 1993
- Hometown/Upbringing: Burdock, South Dakota, near Edgemont. He grew up on his family’s ranch with his parents, Dawn and Scot, and two brothers.
- Marital Status: Married to Baylee Englebert.
- Children: He was a father to a young daughter.
- Education: Attended Laramie County Community College.
- Career: A skilled bareback rider in the rodeo circuit. At the time of his disappearance, he had recently taken a new job in Moorcroft, Wyoming.
- Physical Description (at time of disappearance): 5' 11" tall, medium build, brown hair, and hazel eyes.
- Last Seen Wearing: A dark-colored t-shirt, blue jeans, and a baseball cap.
The 2019 Disappearance: A Detailed Timeline
The events leading up to Chance Englebert’s disappearance occurred over a tense weekend in the summer of 2019. He was visiting his wife’s family in Gering, Nebraska, for the Fourth of July holiday. The timeline of his last known movements has been crucial to the investigation:
July 6, 2019 (Evening):
Chance and his wife, Baylee, were at a family gathering at a relative’s home in Gering, Nebraska.
Late Evening, July 6, 2019:
An argument took place, and Chance, visibly upset, decided to walk away from the home around 9:00 PM. He reportedly told his family he would walk the roughly 70 miles back to his home in Torrington, Wyoming, or Moorcroft.
Between 9:00 PM and 9:30 PM, July 6, 2019:
The last reliable ping from his cell phone was recorded. The signal came from a cell tower located near County Road 19, close to the Riverview Golf Course, just west of Scottsbluff, Nebraska. His phone was either turned off or the battery died shortly after this last ping.
Subsequent Days:
When Chance did not return, his family reported him missing. Massive search efforts were launched by local law enforcement, the FBI, and countless volunteers. The search spanned vast areas of the Nebraska and Wyoming border, focusing on the rough terrain near the last known cell phone location and the North Platte River.
The Resolution: Discovery and Identification of Remains
For six long years, the case of Chance Englebert was one of the most prominent unsolved missing person mysteries in the region. The breakthrough finally came with a tragic discovery that provided the first real clue to his fate.
Skeletal Remains Found Near Scotts Bluff
In October 2025, human skeletal remains were discovered in a remote area near Gering, Nebraska. The location was reportedly in the vicinity of Scotts Bluff National Monument, an area that had been searched multiple times in the past, suggesting the remains may have been previously hidden or only recently exposed due to weather or natural erosion.
Investigators from the Scotts Bluff County Sheriff’s Office and other agencies secured the scene and began the painstaking process of recovery and forensic examination. The discovery immediately reignited media interest and gave the family a renewed, albeit painful, sense of hope for closure.
DNA Confirms Identity
The skeletal remains and some personal belongings found at the site were sent for forensic testing. Advanced DNA analysis confirmed the worst fears of the Englebert family: the remains were positively identified as those of Chance Leslie Englebert. This confirmation marked the end of the missing person investigation and the beginning of a new phase: determining the circumstances of his death.
Items found near the remains, including articles of clothing and other personal effects, were also confirmed to belong to Chance, corroborating the DNA evidence.
Cause of Death and Ongoing Investigation
While the identification of the remains provided a crucial answer, the ultimate question remains: what caused Chance Englebert's death? This is the central focus of the current investigation.
Initial Findings Suggest Accident
Initial reports and statements from law enforcement indicate that the cause of death is being investigated as an accident. This suggests that foul play may not be suspected, aligning with the theory that Chance, disoriented or injured, succumbed to the elements or an accidental fall in the remote terrain.
The area where the remains were found is rugged and challenging, and it is plausible that a person walking in the dark, especially in an emotional state, could have become lost, injured, or trapped. The proximity to the Riverview Golf Course, the location of his last phone ping, indicates he traveled only a short distance before his phone died, possibly before encountering difficult terrain.
The Importance of the Medical Examiner’s Report
The final determination of the cause and manner of death will rest on the official report from the medical examiner and any further forensic pathology analysis. This report will clarify whether there is any evidence of trauma or injury that would contradict the accidental death hypothesis.
Law enforcement is committed to a thorough investigation to ensure every possibility is explored. The family has consistently maintained that they believe Chance would not have willingly abandoned his life, suggesting that whatever happened to him was involuntary.
Topical Authority: The Impact of the Resolution
The resolution of the Chance Englebert case has a significant impact on the true crime and missing persons community. It highlights several critical themes:
- The Power of Persistence: The case demonstrates the importance of continuous investigation and public awareness, even when a case goes cold for years.
- Terrain and Environment: The discovery underscores how quickly and completely a person can vanish in a rugged, seemingly open environment like the Scotts Bluff area, where the vastness of the landscape can conceal evidence for years.
- The Role of Technology: While the last cell phone ping was vital, the limitations of technology from 2019 meant the exact location was not precise enough to prevent a six-year search. Modern forensic DNA technology ultimately provided the definitive answer.
The identification of Chance Englebert’s remains brings a difficult form of closure to a long and painful saga. While the final details of his death are still being solidified, the family and the public now have an answer to the question that has haunted the region since 2019. The story of Chance Englebert serves as a poignant reminder of the fragility of life and the relentless dedication required to solve missing person cases.
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