A local angler found a human bone at Wabash Bottoms Park in West Lafayette, prompting a police investigation. The Tippecanoe County Coroner's Office confirmed the bone was human remains, according to WTHR. The Indiana State Police were notified, and a forensic anthropologist was consulted to verify the bone's nature.
To quickly identify the remains, authorities are working with the Indiana State Police Laboratory to conduct DNA testing. This is part of an ongoing investigation by the Indiana State Police, according to FOX59. The DNA will be compared with state and national databases for missing persons to help make a positive identification.
The bone was found by a fisherman in a remote area east of Ross Camp along the Wabash River. Tippecanoe County Coroner Carrie Costello explained the specificity of the find, confirming that "the bone is a human leg bone," as reported by Journal & Courier. Costello also mentioned that subsequent searches in the area did not reveal more remains.
Officials are investigating a possible connection between the leg bone found in West Lafayette and a skull discovered in May in Warren County. They plan to compare the DNA from both pieces to see if they belong to the same individual. The coroner's office is seeking additional resources and will search nearby areas along the Wabash River where the leg bone was found. Local authorities encourage anyone with information about the case to come forward as the investigation continues.
