Partial Human Skull, Bones Found In Mission Viejo Backyard

MISSION VIEJO, CA —A homeowner doing yard maintenance uncovered human remains in the backyard of his Mission Viejo home Tuesday, police say. The Orange County Sheriff's Department arrived at the house on the 24000 block of Via Madrugada in Mission Viejo after the resident reported the grisly discovery.

"The coroner's office has determined the partial skull and bone fragments collected are human remains," Carrie Braun of the OCSD reported.

Homicide investigators will be actively working with the coroner forensic anthropologists to identify the remains, she said. The Department of Justice and criminal law partners will take the next steps toward learning the identity of the deceased, according to Braun. DNA testing will be one part of that process.

"Due to the ongoing investigation, no additional information is available," she said. The homeowner has worked with officials, and has been cooperative in every way, according to Braun.

Deputies arrived to investigate the area for bones and "other evidence" Tuesday afternoon, the sheriff's department said. Tents were erected in the yard and the sheriff's department worked through the night and into Wednesday morning uncovering evidence.

It was not immediately clear how long the bones were buried, Carrie Braun of the Orange County Sheriff's Department told Patch.

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