Authorities are investigating the discovery of human remains, including parts of skulls, in Jal, New Mexico, that may be linked to a 2019 missing persons case.
The Lea County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Tuesday that it was contacted on Nov. 5 by a resident who had a “disturbing encounter” with a man while offering him a ride.
The resident said the man was “carrying two bags, making alarming statements and throwing items from the vehicle, some of which appeared to be human bones,” according to the sheriff’s office.
The Lea County Sheriff’s Office in Lovington, NM
A search of the area, including a convenience store and the man’s reported location, turned up bone fragments, the office said. A pathologist later confirmed that the bone fragments were human.
The man lived in a property that sheriff’s officials said was “associated with rumors of human remains.” Officials found more bone fragments when they searched the property the next day, the sheriff’s office said.
On Saturday, a new search turned up “evidence of 10 to 20 human skulls,” the office said. Officials clarified Wednesday that they were not 10 to 20 “intact, fully assembled skulls,” but pieces of skull bones that may have come from an estimated 10 to 20 people, Albuquerque NBC affiliate KOB reported.
The remains are being analyzed for possible identification.
The sheriff’s office said the case is “closely connected” to the case of Angela McManes, who disappeared in 2019. Officials said McManes’ last known residence was “close to the property under investigation.”
“Authorities are working diligently to determine the connection between the remains and McManes and other possible victims,” the statement said.
Sheriff Corey Helton told KOB, “I know our viewers are concerned, but I can tell you there is not a serial killer on the loose.”
The sheriff’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether charges have been filed. Helton said the man is in jail on an unrelated charge, KOB reported.
According to KOB, the man said someone purchased the skulls through an online source. Officials are working with an anthropologist to determine if that is true, KOB reported.
The investigation continues. Anyone with information is asked to contact the sheriff’s office.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
