BBB725
Benefactor
Human bones found in Marathon yard
By KeysNet Staff
Posted - Monday, October 11, 2010 02:32 PM EDT
Bones found buried on two Marathon properties came from a human or humans -- but it appears they might be at least 75 years old, authorities say.
Friday afternoon, Sheriff's Office Deputy Michael Cofield was called to 326 92nd St. by 61-year-old Barbara Thrall, who said she'd been digging in her yard and found what looked like a portion of a jaw bone and a portion of a skull.
She said that earlier in the week, she'd found what looked like the upper portion of a femur.
Cofield contacted Dr. Doug Mader at the Marathon Veterinary Hospital, who confirmed the bones looked like they came from a human or humans. So the Medical Examiner's Office and Sheriff's Office Homicide Unit took over. Medical Examiner E. Hunt Scheuerman then sent a picture of the bones to a forensic anthropologist, who confirmed them as human bones.
Saturday morning, detectives began excavating the area where the bones were found. More pieces of skull bone and some finger bones were found.
Trained cadaver dogs from Islamorada Fire/Rescue were brought in, and they "alerted" in the areas the detectives had been digging, as well as in an area on 93rd Street adjacent to Thrall's property.
The search for more bones continues, but there are so few that it's difficult to tell much about them, the Sheriff's Office says. However, Detective Terry Smith says initial examination by Scheuerman indicates they may be from either a young adult or a person in his or her late teens, possibly female.
The bones have been there for an "extensive period of time, possibly as long as 75 years," Deputy Becky Herrin said, citing the apparent density of the bones.
By KeysNet Staff
Posted - Monday, October 11, 2010 02:32 PM EDT
Bones found buried on two Marathon properties came from a human or humans -- but it appears they might be at least 75 years old, authorities say.
Friday afternoon, Sheriff's Office Deputy Michael Cofield was called to 326 92nd St. by 61-year-old Barbara Thrall, who said she'd been digging in her yard and found what looked like a portion of a jaw bone and a portion of a skull.
She said that earlier in the week, she'd found what looked like the upper portion of a femur.
Cofield contacted Dr. Doug Mader at the Marathon Veterinary Hospital, who confirmed the bones looked like they came from a human or humans. So the Medical Examiner's Office and Sheriff's Office Homicide Unit took over. Medical Examiner E. Hunt Scheuerman then sent a picture of the bones to a forensic anthropologist, who confirmed them as human bones.
Saturday morning, detectives began excavating the area where the bones were found. More pieces of skull bone and some finger bones were found.
Trained cadaver dogs from Islamorada Fire/Rescue were brought in, and they "alerted" in the areas the detectives had been digging, as well as in an area on 93rd Street adjacent to Thrall's property.
The search for more bones continues, but there are so few that it's difficult to tell much about them, the Sheriff's Office says. However, Detective Terry Smith says initial examination by Scheuerman indicates they may be from either a young adult or a person in his or her late teens, possibly female.
The bones have been there for an "extensive period of time, possibly as long as 75 years," Deputy Becky Herrin said, citing the apparent density of the bones.
