Authorities in New Mexico say they have discovered at least 10 human skulls in and around a property near the southeastern border, including possibly the remains of a woman who has been missing since 2019.
Investigators found the remains while executing a search warrant for Cecil Villanueva, a man reported to police by a local resident of the town of Jal. The resident said he offered Villanueva a ride in his car and then had a “disturbing encounter” with him, according to the Lea County Sheriff’s Office.
The resident, whom authorities have not named, reported the interaction on Nov. 5. He said Villanueva was carrying two bags and “made alarming statements” as he “threw objects from the vehicle, some of which appeared to be human bones.” the sheriff’s office said. Researchers discovered bone fragments during their subsequent search of the area, and a pathologist later confirmed that they were in fact human bones. Forensic experts subsequently determined that the findings included parts of a human skull and jawbone, the sheriff said.
There is evidence of the remains of between 10 and 20 human skulls at a property in Jal where Villanueva stayed, which was “associated with rumors of human remains,” the sheriff said. A team of investigators and a forensic anthropologist turned the remains over to the Office of the Medical Investigator in Albuquerque. The medical examiner will analyze and possibly identify them.
Police have so far released few details about the case, but said it is “closely linked” to the disappearance of a woman named Angela McManes, who went missing in 2019 and lived near the property now under investigation.
“Authorities are working diligently to determine the connection between the remains and McManes and other possible victims,” the sheriff’s office said.
Authorities have not said whether Villanueva has been arrested in the case. The man apparently claims he bought the skulls online, CBS News affiliate KOSA reported Tuesday. Lea County Undersheriff Michael Walker said at the time that station authorities were still working to determine whether the skulls they found were real human skulls.
Anyone with information regarding the investigation has been asked to contact the Lea County Sheriff’s Office or the county’s local Crime Stoppers line. CBS News reached out to the sheriff’s office for more information but did not immediately hear back.
