TAMAQUA, Pa. — After nearly a decade of searching, partial remains of Jesse Farber, a 29-year-old Tamaqua father who disappeared in 2015, have been found, according to his longtime girlfriend, Rachel Carroll.
Carroll confirmed that remains discovered in late September were positively identified as Farber’s. She said recovery efforts are still ongoing.
“We’re still recovering his remains,” Carroll said. “Anytime I can get up there, we’re doing searches. We have been still recovering more.”
Carroll said the discovery followed years of organized searches by volunteers, advocates and private investigator Steve Fischer, who helped narrow down a new search area in Walker Township using cellphone tower data.
The first evidence surfaced earlier this year when hunters found bones in a wooded area in July, Carroll said. At the time, she was unaware of the discovery. Weeks later, she and her team found the same area marked with tape and flags, prompting them to notify police.
“The first day that me and my team actually discovered anything was Sept. 27,” Carroll said. “We went up to do a search and we discovered quite a few more remains and a pair of pants we found that I was able to confirm with Jesse. That was when I kind of knew it was him.”
Authorities later confirmed the remains were Farber’s.
Farber was last heard from on Aug. 11, 2015, when he called Carroll, sounding distressed.
“I’m in a tree. Ten, eleven coyotes are after me, and my phone is gonna die,” he said before the call disconnected. Despite extensive searches by police, volunteers and rescue teams, no trace of him was found until recently.
Carroll said the confirmation brought a complex mix of emotions.
“It was shocking when we found remains,” she said. “But when I found the pants, that was my answer. It was extremely hard because it was just like finding out everything on my own. I felt very numb, or in shock at the time. It’s still very upsetting to actually find it yourself.”
She said police, the community and volunteers have been “incredibly supportive and caring” since the discovery.
“There’s just been immense love coming from everybody,” she said. “Everybody has been so great, which is very helpful in this hard situation.”
Carroll said specialized search teams, including Fischer’s, have been on-site for extended searches and plan to continue. They have since found more remains and notified police.
As for what comes next, Carroll said she plans to hold a public celebration of life for Farber once recovery efforts are complete. She also intends to continue helping other families of missing persons through the Finding Jesse Farber Facebook page.
“I made that page to find Jesse, and it kind of became a tool for other families,” Carroll said. “I’m going to continue that in his name. Everything that I do to help other missing people, I’m going to continue to do that in his name for his legacy.”
The discovery, she said, has brought both heartbreak and relief — especially for the couple’s two children.
“The day they confirmed it, I had to go and tell our children, and that was definitely one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do,” Carroll said. “They were really upset, but I think they also have a sense of relief finally having an answer. Now they don’t have to grow up and feel like they need to continue searching and continue looking for answers. They don’t have to do that, which is a great burden off my shoulders.”
While the search for Farber’s remaining bones continues, Carroll said the journey has changed her life forever and that she’s learning how to live without someone she grew up with.
“It’s hard to still imagine my life without him, especially now knowing that he isn’t coming back,” she said. “There’s a great relief that he’s been found, but it’s also extremely hard and devastating to know that he’s passed away.”
