Family reacts after missing man’s remains found after two years
By BRITTANY BREEDING
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SHREVEPORT, Louisiana (KTBS) — A family is finally closer to answers they’ve waited for, for more than two years, after the remains of Steven Burkett of Marthaville were found on May 24.
“For me personally, I mean, it’s a lot of relief, honestly. It’s difficult, but it’s a closing of a chapter that we thought may never end,” said Adam Burkett, Steven’s son.
Relief. That’s how Adam Burkett describes the feeling of his father’s remains being found more than two years after he disappeared. He was found in a pond off Preston Hayes Road near Marthaville less than a mile from where he was last seen on Feb. 12, 2022. When Steven was reported missing, Adam couldn’t believe it at first.
“I guess it’s almost surreal. Like, you know, everybody says you don’t really expect it to happen to you. You know, it kind of feels like a dream, almost like not something that you ever think would happen,” said Burkett.
He knew immediately that something had happened, saying Steven wouldn’t disappear on his own.
“The last time I saw him was right at the end of November. They came and helped us move into our new house and we were planning on doing this stuff in the summer, like going golfing together and all that stuff. So yeah, we were working our way back to getting pretty close,” said Burkett.
For the past two years, he’s grieved the loss of his father.
“He was a good person. He was always, you know, kind and caring to other people,” said Burkett.
Now, he’s thankful they don’t have to wonder where he is.
“There’s got to be a huge percentage of people who never get found. And the reality was that that was looking like it was going to be us. I mean, two years later is an extremely long time for a missing person’s remains or body or for them to be found at all,” said Burkett.
He’s also urging other people to not brush off missing persons cases like his father’s, no matter their history.
“Just for everybody out there that may see his mug shot or may know his past part of his past or whatever, you know, just to remember that, you know, he’s still a person and we’re still people and we’re all going to feel the same way about our father or our husband or our brother, regardless of the things that they may or may not have done in life. That doesn’t change how much we love them,” said Burkett.
Steven’s death is being investigated as a suspicious death. So far, no other details have been released.
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