Jacksonville, FL — Jacksonville police have now confirmed that remains found in Northwest Jacksonville are human, and they suspect foul play in the death.
WOKV first reported late Thursday that skeletal remains were found on Utsey Road in Northwest Jacksonville, off Imeson Road and Pritchard Road. In their initial briefing, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said it appears the remains had been in that wooded area for awhile, and they were found in some kind of tarp or plastic bag. A property owner clearing land discovered the remains when he unknowingly ran over them with a tractor, according to JSO. That man is cooperating with the investigation.
JSO says the positioning of the remains and prior investigative experience lead them to believe that foul play is involved, although the manner of death and identity of the victim has not been determined. JSO says they have called in a forensic anthropologist to help remove the remains and examine the scene, to ensure they don’t miss anything. Based on the preliminary investigation, police believe there is only one set of remains.
Police expect to be at the scene for several days processing it. Identifying the remains could take weeks, if not months, according to JSO. They are planning to review missing persons cases as they work on the victim identification.
If you believe you have any information about this incident or victim, JSO is asking you to come forward. You can contact JSO at 904-630-0500 or JSOCrimeTips@jaxsheriff.org. You can also submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers by calling 1-866-845-TIPS.
Three more unmarked vehicles have arrived at wooded area off Utsey Road where human remains were found. Scene isn’t showing any signs of wrapping up any time soon @ActionNewsJax #Jacksonville #florida pic.twitter.com/cC6iDOMwQI
— Lorena Inclán (@LorenaANjax) July 12, 2019
JSO has confirmed foul play IS suspected in the discovery of the human remains found near Utsey Road. Investigators say they don’t have a lot of information. The bones remain on the property and it could be weeks or months before the person is identified @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/aWuJJZy1ry
— Lorena Inclán (@LorenaANjax) July 12, 2019