Human remains discovered in remote area of Warm Springs Indian Reservation

Believed to have been at location for one to 10 years

WARM SPRINGS, Ore. (KTVZ) – Someone salvaging wood from an old dock in a remote area of the Warm Springs Indian Reservation on Monday discovered a human skull, part of remains believed to have been at the location for one to 10 years, Police Chief Bill Elliott said late Tuesday.

Warm Springs Tribal Police Officers were dispatched Monday to the location along Tenino Road on the reported discovery of human remains, Elliott said.

Officers met with the citizen who called and said while salvaging the wood from an old dock, they noticed a round item on the ground. Elliott said the citizen said they rolled the item with their foot, when he noticed it appears to be a human skull.

Tribal police officers secured the site and detectives did a cursory search of the area “and located several other bones that were of interest,” Elliott said in a news release.

Warm Springs police notified the FBI, which sent agents from Bend and their Evidence Response Team to help tribal police process the site, he said.

A cadaver dog was requested from another, unspecified local agency to help search the area.

While information so far is limited, Elliott said preliminary examinations from the medical examiner’s office indicates the remains had been at the location for one to 10 years.

Elliott said tribal police will cross-check its database for missing or runaway people from the past decade, to ensure none are outstanding, and will continue their investigation with the FBI.

Anyone with information that could assist in the investigation was asked to contact the Warm Springs Tribal Police Department tip line at 541-553-2202.