Human remains found in Satsuma; 911 calls released

Putnam County deputies investigating discovery as homicide

SATSUMA, Fla. – The Putnam County Sheriff's Office has released 911 calls made by a man who found human remains Tuesday in a wooded area in Satsuma.

Deputies with the Putnam County Sheriff's Office said the skeletal remains were adult, and now they are are investigating it as a homicide.

"Me and my buddy were out riding four-wheelers," the caller said.

"So do you have an emergency?" the Putnam County dispatcher asked.

"Uh, well, we think we found a body," the man said.

The Satsuma man described to the 911 dispatcher the human remains he and a friend came across while riding four-wheelers in the town's Hoot Owl Ridge neighborhood.

"And why do you think that it's a body?" the dispatcher asked.

"Well, just the -- there's some -- it looks like a human skull away from it, and the body is -- I don't know -- it's partially clothed," said the caller.

"Ok, and so you're saying the head is not attached?" the dispatcher asked.

"Nope. It was off to the side," said the caller.

The caller was at the intersection of Oklahoma and Kingston streets and took investigators to the scene when they arrived.

Putnam County deputies spent most of the day Tuesday at the scene but said they don't know the identity of the remains, only that they are those of an adult and that they are investigating it as a homicide.

Jacksonville police went to the scene, checking to see if the remains match any missing person cases they've been working.

Now, the medical examiner is trying to find out who the person was and how he or she died.

"It's a skeletal body?" asked the dispatcher.

"Skeleton, yeah. And they drug it, they went down the powerline and drug it out in the woods," said the caller.

Deputies said additional details regarding the death investigation will be released as soon as they are available.