38 Greenwich Police Officers, FBI Re-Search Park Where Human Remains Were Found: Update

GREENWICH, CT — Three dozen members of the Greenwich Police Department on Monday conducted an extensive line search at Helen Binney Kitchel Natural Park looking for any new clues in connection with the human skeletal remains found there on April 25, according to officials.

A total of 38 members of the force were seen dressed in "Police" windbreakers and rubber boots as they walked through the wooded preserve late Monday morning and into the afternoon. Some were carrying walking sticks to help move brush or help with the trek.

"Since the remains initially found were only a partial set, we wanted to re-check the areas originally done and expand the search to a larger area," wrote Greenwich Police Capt. Robert Berry in an email to Patch. "This additional search was not based on any new information; we just wanted to be as thorough as possible."

Monday's search was supervised by Berry, who did not disclose whether any new clues were discovered, but said the investigation remains open.

In addition to the members of the Greenwich department, members of the Evidence Recovery Team from the New Haven office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, also were at the scene.

"Additionally, we had remote access to the experts at the Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME)," said Berry, adding that law enforcement personnel were at the scene for six hours.

Police officials said the unidentified remains appeared to have been there for some time, and they did not believe the public was in danger. The remains were discovered by town crews in the southwest section of the park on the 25th, which led to immediate searches on land and in the stream that winds through the park.

Currently, those remains are being tested by the state Medical Examiner's Office to determine the identity and possible cause of death.

After Berry emailed Patch, the department issued the following release about the search:

On Monday, May 8th, at approximately [8 a.m.], Police personnel begin searching the area of Helen Binney Kitchel Natural Park for additional material or evidence that could be still be hidden on the property. This search stemmed from the original investigation and was a follow-up check of the area.

The investigation of the human remains found in the Helen Binney Kitchel Park off of Harding Road remains open. Since the remains initially found were only a partial set, we wanted to re-check the areas originally done and expand the search to a larger area. This additional search was not based on any new information; we just wanted to be as thorough as possible. The search today consisted of thirty-eight (38) personnel from the Greenwich Police Department and the Evidence Recovery Team from the New Haven office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Additionally, we had remote access to the experts at the Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME). We were on scene for about six (6) hours. We continue to investigate the human remains in conjunction with the OCME.

Detectives are actively investigating the case. Please forward any information to our anonymous tip line at 1-800-372-1176 or at: tips@greenwichct.org

Photo credit: Alfred Branch