John Layton Escareño

AUSTIN, TX. – John Layton Escareño, born in Harlingen, Texas on the 29th of November 2002, passed away on Monday, the 13th of April 2026, in Austin, Texas. He was 23 years of age.

Standing tall, at 6’ 7”, John was a gentle giant, a loving son, brother, and friend whose presence left a lasting impression. He carried himself with a strong sense of compassion, generosity, loyalty, and an unforgettable sense of humor.

John had a deep appreciation for writing, music, and film. He was the kind of person who could not watch a movie without immediately sharing an impressively thorough review and after reading one, you might have wondered if he was moonlighting for Rotten Tomatoes. It reflected his passion and attention to detail. Many knew him as “DJ Generic” from KVRX Austin, where he volunteered and shared his love for Indie music. As a student at The University of Texas at Austin, he contributed to his local community by volunteering at the student television station, TSTV’s Next Week Now. John also loved museums, concerts, and Broadway shows, and he was an avid visitor of The National WWII Museum in New Orleans.

John was a collector, a gamer, and someone who cared deeply about animal rescue. His friendships meant everything to him, and he showed that through his loyalty, his humor, and the way he was always there when it mattered. He shared a special bond with his longtime Valley friends, including Joe, Chris, and Jacob.

John will be deeply missed by those who knew him, and his absence will be felt in the quiet, everyday moments he made better just by being there. There are not many people like John, and those who knew him understood that.

Preceding John Layton in death are his grandparents, Rosendo and Gloria Escareño, and John Glenn Bingham.

He is survived by his father, Narciso Escareño; his mother, Leslie Bingham and her fiancé, Luis Padula; his sister, Alexandra Morin and her husband, Brandon Morin; his grandmother, Barbara Bingham; and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.

The family would like to extend their gratitude to Dr. Tomas Gonzalez of McAllen, Texas for his expert and tireless care.

Although his physical presence is no longer with us, we ask that you join us in thought and prayer as we honor John’s life and the memories of him that we will forever cherish.

Visiting hours will be held on Saturday, the 18th of April 2026 between the hours of three o'clock and five o'clock in the afternoon, with a Celebration of Life service to begin at half past three o'clock Saturday afternoon within the East Chapel of Darling-Mouser Funeral Home.

In lieu of floral arrangements and customary remembrances, contributions in memory of John and his love for animals, may be directed to the Brownsville Animal Regulation and Care Center (BARCC website).

Memories of John may be shared at www.darlingmouser.com.

Personalized funeral arrangements directed by Steven R. Hieu Bailey, CFSP and Staff have been entrusted to the care of Darling-Mouser Funeral Home at 945 Palm Boulevard in Brownsville, Texas 78520, (956) 546-7111.