UNSOLVED UT - Springville, Human bones in box, Jun'09

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Box of human bones found in Springville

By Erin Alberty
The Salt Lake Tribune

Updated: 06/09/2009 10:05:37 PM MDT

A railroad worker Tuesday found several bones inside a cardboard box stashed under sagebrush in Springville.

A medical examiner has collected the bones to confirm they are human.

"It certainly appears to be a human skull," said Springville police Lt. Dave Caron.

A railroad employee said he noticed the box about 2 p.m. under a bush near 1500 West 1400 North while he was working on an ongoing construction project, Caron said. The box appears to be in good condition, Caron said. Because crews did not notice the box before today, authorities suspect it may have been placed there recently, Caron said.
However, the age of the bones is not yet known, Caron said.

More here: http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_12557555
 
The medical examiner can determine if the bones are human and may be able to determine how old the bones are, whether the person was male or female, and maybe more, depending on how much of the original material is intact. It could be the skeleton of an American Indian who died centuries ago, or it could be evidence of a crime.

Caron also said the skull appeared small and he could not think of any missing people who would fit that size of skull in the area. Right now, they are waiting for information from the medical examiner before acting.

http://www.heraldextra.com/news/loc...cle_13ce534f-9a1c-5bda-8523-bd9fcd4eb214.html
 
Remains human, Springville is toldBy Reporter

Deseret News

Published: Thursday, June 11, 2009 10:36 p.m. MDT


The workers who found the bones said the skull was inside a new cardboard box with a paper bag beside it. They had been working in that area previously and hadn't noticed the box under some bushes until Tuesday.


The skull was in a NEW BOX !:eek: Uh ok...

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705310076,00.html
 
Caron also said the skull appeared small and he could not think of any missing people who would fit that size of skull in the area. Right now, they are waiting for information from the medical examiner before acting.
http://www.heraldextra.com/news/loc...cle_13ce534f-9a1c-5bda-8523-bd9fcd4eb214.html


We do have a missing woman from Colorado Paige Birgfeld that has never been found , she was small and petite. I believe there is some info here at WS on her. It will be interesting to see what they can gleem from the bones.
It is pretty strange that the skull was found in a new box , with a paper bag next to it...

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1...310076,00.html
 
Caron also said the skull appeared small and he could not think of any missing people who would fit that size of skull in the area. Right now, they are waiting for information from the medical examiner before acting.
http://www.heraldextra.com/news/loc...cle_13ce534f-9a1c-5bda-8523-bd9fcd4eb214.html


We do have a missing woman from Colorado Paige Birgfeld that has never been found , she was small and petite. I believe there is some info here at WS on her. It will be interesting to see what they can gleem from the bones.
It is pretty strange that the skull was found in a new box , with a paper bag next to it...

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1...310076,00.html

WHile ANY homicide is a dastardly deed, I PRAY it is not yet another child.
 
Honestly, given the circumstances I am inclined to believe that this is not the remains of a crime victim, at least not a murder victim. Given condition and the way in which they were stored/disposed of it sounds as though these bones were display specimens, and the suggestion that these are potentially native remains is as good a hypothesis as any. Many people and institutions are in possession of native remains that decades ago were curiosities, but are no longer legal to own due to NAGPRA. This often leads individuals who are unaware of the rights and avenues of repatriation to take disposal into their own hands.

On the other hand I wonder if these remains might not have come from a skeletal model used in the classroom. Many of these models were exported en masse from India in the 20th century. Where they were robbed from funeral pyres along the Ganges. At my university we had one of these specimens that hung out (literally) in some lonely recess of the Anthro department. Professors no longer used him as a teaching aid, and one of his arms had already been stolen by some idiot, but no one knew what to do with him so he stayed.

So yeah, as unsettling as it sounds there are a good deal of remains floating around that people don't know what to do with or would rather not deal with. Horrible as it sounds, I really hope that this is the case.
 
Honestly, given the circumstances I am inclined to believe that this is not the remains of a crime victim, at least not a murder victim. Given condition and the way in which they were stored/disposed of it sounds as though these bones were display specimens, and the suggestion that these are potentially native remains is as good a hypothesis as any. Many people and institutions are in possession of native remains that decades ago were curiosities, but are no longer legal to own due to NAGPRA. This often leads individuals who are unaware of the rights and avenues of repatriation to take disposal into their own hands.

On the other hand I wonder if these remains might not have come from a skeletal model used in the classroom. Many of these models were exported en masse from India in the 20th century. Where they were robbed from funeral pyres along the Ganges. At my university we had one of these specimens that hung out (literally) in some lonely recess of the Anthro department. Professors no longer used him as a teaching aid, and one of his arms had already been stolen by some idiot, but no one knew what to do with him so he stayed.

So yeah, as unsettling as it sounds there are a good deal of remains floating around that people don't know what to do with or would rather not deal with. Horrible as it sounds, I really hope that this is the case.

I find it interesting you would talk about this, as there was a big bust for stolen artifacts around the area , could be some one didn't want it in their possesion and knew it would be found..anyhow here is the link:

Feds bring artifacts investigation to Grand Junction
Items recovered after 10-hour search of Orchard Mesa home by FBI, BLM agents

Click-2-Listen
By PAUL SHOCKLEY/The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Federal agents removed five taped-up cardboard boxes and several brown paper bags from a home on Orchard Mesa on Thursday evening, ending a 10-hour search of the property at 8 p.m.

A law enforcement source at the scene, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said several items relevant to the federal investigation of stolen artifacts from the Four Corners region were seized at 1602 Dolores St

http://www.gjsentinel.com/hp/content/news/stories/2009/06/11/061209_1a_search_warrant.html
 
What a great link you made there mysticrose!

Sadly, I would not be surprised to find out that the remains are associated with the looting of burial and ceremonial artifacts for profit. It happens far too often, and as the remains themselves don't typically entice collectors they are often destroyed or discarded.
 
Good connection Mysticrose MaedchenX.

I wouldn't be shocked to find the 24 people arrested in Blanding, Utah connected to this. They are grave robbers and had been doing this for decades. Of course they tell anyone in the area who will listen that this is Govt overeaction to a couple of pots and arrowheads found laying on the ground, and are demanding an investigation. They have full community support and now two of our Senators are involved. I'm going to guess that being caught with an actual skeleton would be something they couldn't make up an excuse for and downplay and they'd get rid of it.
 
I kept running into the Indian artifacts theme in three cases this week and something clicked for me after my above post and I started comparing dates. Anyways, I put everything down on paper and made a post (63) at the below link. Connection? Maybe....maybe not.

Teenager and Grandparents Found Dead In Missouri Home: - Page 3 - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community


Hmmm...take a look at this article:

Search Deepens for Stolen Artifacts
06/12/09 - 05:00 PM

One suspect was found dead Thursday afternoon. James Redd, a 60 year old Blanding doctor was found dead Thursday afternoon. Authorities say he killed himself. Redd’s wife is also charged in this investigation. Several attempts were made to contact anyone at the home. No answer

http://www.krextv.com//index.php/site/article/search_deepens_for_stolen_artifacts/archive_3485/
 
Hmmm...take a look at this article:

Search Deepens for Stolen Artifacts
06/12/09 - 05:00 PM

One suspect was found dead Thursday afternoon. James Redd, a 60 year old Blanding doctor was found dead Thursday afternoon. Authorities say he killed himself. Redd’s wife is also charged in this investigation. Several attempts were made to contact anyone at the home. No answer

http://www.krextv.com//index.php/site/article/search_deepens_for_stolen_artifacts/archive_3485/

I know the charges are severe. But in the past cases like this one, they've been slapped on the wrist and fined. Sure makes me wonder why he felt he needed to kill himself and leave his wife and family to face this on their own.
 

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