Hunter finds human remains in park near Pittsburgh

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March 18, 2010

By JOE MANDAK The Tribune-Democrat Thu Mar 18, 2010, 02:34 PM EDT

PITTSBURGH — Investigators gathered skeletal remains and clothing Thursday that were found in a Pittsburgh-area park.

Allegheny County Medical Examiner Karl Williams said the remains could be those of an older man likely dead for more than a year. But county police Supt. Charles Moffatt said there was no obvious link to any ongoing missing persons or homicide investigation.

No identification was found and authorities were trying to identify the remains.

A hunter scavenging for deer antlers found the remains in a steep, wooded area of Bullock-Pens Park, behind the Churchill Country Club on Wednesday evening. A chain was wrapped around a tree where the bones were found.

Authorities wouldn’t say if they believe the chain had something to do with the man’s death.

The remains were scattered within an area about 10 feet by 20 feet, which most likely was the work of scavenging animals, Williams said.

Williams said he will likely ask a forensic anthropologist from the University of Pittsburgh to help determine the age and size of the man and, perhaps, how he died.

A homicide detective guarded the remains overnight Wednesday because investigators didn’t want the scene disturbed until they could examine it, Williams said.

“Any skeleton of this nature is always, obviously, treated as a suspicious death,” he said.

Churchill police said the area is heavily populated with deer and people often comb it looking for antlers that deer have shed.

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Hunter finds human remains in park near Pittsburgh

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