ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – Investigators on Friday began excavating a site near St. Augustine where human skeletal remains that could date back to 75 years ago were discovered recently.
The discovery was made days ago by a passerby who spotted a femur bone in the soil where land had recently been cleared for development, according to the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office.
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The Sheriff’s Office posted images of the excavation on Facebook, saying the remains were located near an historic burial site that was previously unearthed in the 1980s.
Skeletal remains discovered: SJSO Investigators have begun excavating a site where skeletal remains have been located; potentially dating back 75 years. Visit our St. John’s County Sheriff’s Office FB page for more details... pic.twitter.com/lm0WHwqvcg
— SJSO (@SJSOPIO) July 6, 2018
Detectives collected the initial remains before bringing in archaeologists to examine how old the bones are. According to one expert’s estimate, the bones could be 75 years old or younger.
Investigators are continuing to search the site as they piece together the person’s identity and how they may have wound up buried at the lot, which was previously undeveloped, the agency said.
The Sheriff’s Office said the effort is still in its early stages, noting that it could be some time before the excavation is complete and the human remains are identified.