Resolved TX - Houston, Human bones at construction site, Aug'12 - Old cemetery

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Workers uncovered several bones about 2 p.m. inside the fenced-in construction area along Chandler near Arnold, west of downtown Houston.
“They found the bones right where they were excavating,” said Carlos Cardenas, a Houston police homicide detective.
The area was once the home of the Park Memorial Condominiums. The complex was torn down earlier this year after it was sold to developers.

Detectives said the bones apparently had been from a body that was concealed there when the Park Memorial Condominiums were being built in the late 1970s to early 1980s.
Cardenas said he considered whether the remains might have been from a burial site.

“This is pretty unusual,” he said. But, “we don’t think it has anything to do with an old cemetery.”

Read More:
http://blog.chron.com/newswatch/2012/08/human-remains-found-at-construction-site/
 
There are many possibilities. I hope the authorities in Houston will eventually let the public know a few basic facts, like age and gender.
 
May I please ask does anyone have a map of the area where these bones were found?
 
So were the apartments built on an old cemetery?
 
So were the apartments built on an old cemetery?

They said 'NO'.

http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Houston-police-help-investigate-human-remains-3757069.php

http://blog.chron.com/newswatch/2012/08/human-remains-found-at-construction-site/

Sheesh, and this one says 'possibly'. Who's correct?

'Henry Griffin, an area resident for about 70 years, said the Park Memorial Condominiums were built over a cemetery where a number of native Americans had been buried.'
 
So were the apartments built on an old cemetery?

Apparently so, but they have some reason to suspect that the bones aren't related to the cemetary.

There are a few things that I can think of that might lead to that conclusion.

Perhaps the body was positioned in a location that was a part of the foundation of the previous condominiums. There might have been cement from the foundation pour that was attached to (or underneath) the bones. Or maybe there was clothing with the body that was inconsistent with a normal burial. Or perhaps the bones had dental work that was more modern than the cemetery.
 
He's saying the bones/remains showed up during construction, and the workers just covered them up and kept on working. Wow.

'Detectives said the bones apparently had been from a body that was concealed there when the Park Memorial Condominiums were being built in the late 1970s to early 1980s.'

http://blog.chron.com/newswatch/2012/08/human-remains-found-at-construction-site/

So the body's only been there since during the building of the apartment complex.
 
HOUSTON – Investigators on Thursday found human ribs at a construction site where other bones were discovered by workers Wednesday.
Construction workers who were excavating the site of an old condominium complex in the 100 block of Detering first found the bones around 2:50 p.m. Wednesday and called police.

Homicide investigators responded to the scene and called out an anthropologist to determine that the remains were, in fact, human.

Investigators believe the remains may be from the late 70s or early 80s. They suspect foul play may be involved, because the bones were found between a concrete slab and a retaining wall.

"We know that some people are thinking maybe it’s a bum that died or something, a transient. [But] it doesn’t appear that way, because of the location of the bones," Sgt. Richard Rodriguez of HPD Homicide said.

http://www.khou.com/news/HPD-Skelet...site-near-Memorial-Drive-164655626.html?can=n
 
Well that's totally logical. "Oh, look, a dead body. Oh well, carry on with the construction."
 
http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/H...ns-3757069.php

'Henry Griffin, an area resident for about 70 years, said the Park Memorial Condominiums were built over a cemetery where a number of native Americans had been buried.'

You aren't supposed to disturb Native American burial grounds. It's a matter of respect, it is not supposed to be done.
 
When I first heard this story the first thing I thought of was that movie Poltergist from the 80's. Things didn't work out to well for the people or the house that was built over an old cemetery. I know that Poltergist wasn't a true story but still makes you wonder. I sure as heck don't want someone to build anything over my grave. Not that I would knbow they did but still. Just seems really wrong to disturb graves.
 
It does seem wrong to disturb graves...but honestly in some areas it might be near impossible. If every farm family had their own little plot and after the farm gets abandoned and the headstones lost or stolen, people forget where the were and the get built on top of. When I was living in the midwest, there was a part of the city that had little plots mixed into a modern apartment parking area.
My family has a little plot of land where some of my ancestors are buried. It is not in any records book. Someday in the future I am sure they will be built around or on top of.
 
Houston Police Department Sgt. Richard Rodriguez says he believes the remains are from the victim of foul play: “From what we have, it looks like only one body. More because of the placement of the bones because they were underneath the slab and up against a cement retention wall, so because of that I’m not leaning towards a burial site, but I’m not ruling that out either.”

And that reasonable doubt has Sgt. Rodriguez curious. He says someone has already called claiming a family member went missing near the construction site around 1981.
BBM

Read More:
http://news92fm.com/267728/additional-details-surrounding-human-remains-found-at-construction-site/

David Dunaway was a drywall contractor, and was last seen in Houston in May 1981.
20388

https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/11849/0

I wonder if this is who they are talking about.
 
I have heard of construction crews rehiding remains before. At the request of forman who what to keep the job running. They work on deadlines. Luck stone quarry in Virginia rehid remains so they work not have to slow work down for an investigation. Investigators still have not located them.

Hopefuly it isnt a common occurance.
 
I have heard of construction crews rehiding remains before. At the request of forman who what to keep the job running. They work on deadlines. Luck stone quarry in Virginia rehid remains so they work not have to slow work down for an investigation. Investigators still have not located them.

Hopefuly it isnt a common occurance.

Aren't there stories like that about the Brooklyn Bridge? Workers who died while building the supports somehow getting stuck in the foundations and they just had to keep on going with the construction? Or is that myth?

I need more coffee. I hope these folks get IDed for their families' sakes.
 

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