Authorities say they found human remains they believe were buried in a shallow grave for several years in the Kanawha Falls area near Gauley Bridge Tuesday night.
Police say a person searching for arrowheads in the Kanawha Falls area across the Kanawha River from Glen Ferris discovered a human skull instead.
Sheriff's deputies and investigators from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner recovered numerous bones Tuesday night, found under a large cliff overhang in a shallow grave, according to a statement from the Fayette County Sheriff's Office. They returned to the site this morning to continue the investigation.
"It is too early in the process to release much information at this time," Sheriff-Elect Mike Fridley said in a statement. "We know the bones are human, and appear to have been buried in a shallow grave as opposed to having been randomly scattered through animal depredation. The initial analysis of the bones indicates they have been buried for several years, but not longer than fifty years, ruling out the probability that this is an old Native American or Civil War grave site. Investigators are considering this as a homicide investigation at this time."
Once the excavation of the grave site is complete, the remains will be taken to the chief medical examiner's office in hopes of determining the identity of the victim and the cause and manner of death.
"Investigators have recovered some teeth, and there is sufficient biological material to permit DNA analysis and comparison from the remains," Prosecuting Attorney Larry Harrah said in a statement.
The sheriff and prosecutor's office said if authorities determine the death was a homicide, they will continue to investigate.
"When it comes to murder, there is no statute of limitations on the filing of criminal charges. We don't forgive, we don't forget and we never give up. We owe this
to the victim and the victim's family members," the statement said.
No further information was released.
Reach Erin Beck at erin.beck@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-5163, Facebook.com/erinbeckwv, or follow @erinbeckwv on Twitter.