Human bones found near the Douglas-Carson line by an inmate work crew are being examined to determine a cause of death for the person.
Sheriff Ron Pierini said Tuesday the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office received a call from Northern Nevada Correction Center around noon Monday a crew doing conservation work found the remains. The bones were located about 300 yards north of Highway 50 near the top of Spooner Summit, between the Tahoe Rim Trail and Kings Canyon Road in a remote wooded area, Sheriff’s Spokesman Sgt. Pat Brooks said.
Investigators gathered as many of the remains as they could find on Monday and sent them to the Washoe County Medical Examiner.
Pierini said the bones had been spread out by animals, and appear to be from someone who died between six months and a year ago.
He said investigators are contacting other agencies to find out if someone was reported missing in the Lake Tahoe area.
Douglas County hasn’t had any reports of a missing person in the area over the past year.
“The bones are at the Washoe Medical Examiner to see if we can find a cause of death,” Pierini said. “He’ll help us with DNA, so we can find out who this person is.”
Douglas County Search and Rescue was called out to help search the area for any evidence related to the bones.
Pierini said no identification was found. Investigators are processing the scene of the discovery for clues.
“The question is whether it is a homicide, a suicide or a natural death,” Pierini said. “We should determine that fairly soon.”
Pierini said the bones were definitely of recent origin.
