Adult remains found a year ago by Bend teen swimmer in Deschutes River still unidentified; case closed, for now
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – More than a year after a teen girl swimming in the Deschutes River in Bend found human bones underwater, an attempted DNA test was unable to obtain a profile and the case has been closed pending any new information, authorities said Friday.
The girl was swimming in the river north of Archie Briggs Road on Saturday, August 27 of last year when she found what appeared to be human bones underwater. Police Communications Manager Sheila Miller said. Officers recovered the remains and contacted detectives and the state Medical Examiner’s Office, which confirmed they were human remains.
The next day, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue dive team searched the area of the river and found more human bones. Miller said the remains were believed to be from one person, likely an adult, and were believed to have been in the water for over a year.
The found remains were taken to the state Medical Examiner’s Office for possible DNA identification, while police turned to the public for any information about a missing person in that area.
On Sept. 21 of this year, Bend Police learned that the state Medical Examiner’s Office had sent a bone sample to an extraction lab to process, but the sample was too degraded with bacteria to obtain a DNA profile, Miller said.
"At this time, the remains are unidentified, and the Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office has closed the case until any additional information becomes available," Miller said in the updated news release.
Miller acknowledged to NewsChannel 21 that the inability to determine who the person was is "definitely sad." She said police wished they could identify the remains "and offer more closure" to the person's family.
