Human remains were discovered by a hiker in a remote part of South Mountain Preserve in Phoenix this week, prompting an investigation by police detectives. According to a FOX 10 Phoenix report, the police were called to 35th Avenue and Ansell Road around 10:05 a.m. on Aug. 3, following the hiker's grim find.
Following the initial discovery, it took some time for authorities to actually recover the remains. Detectives needed to be flown to the mountain on the morning of Aug. 4 to reach the otherwise inaccessible location. Challenges posed by the landscape and weather conditions forced them to delay and to finally return on Aug. 6, with additional help to safely undertake the recovery operation. "The Office of Medical Examiner took possession of the remains and transported them to the Forensic Science Center for further examination and identification. There were no apparent signs of foul play observed," revealed a portion of the statement obtained by FOX 10 Phoenix.
The recovery effort was extensive and involved multiple agencies. AZ Family noted that along with park rangers, the use of drones, air support, and Phoenix firefighters were crucial to the operation. A recovery team staged at a trailhead on the wide side of South Mountain executed the retrieval of the remains on Wednesday morning.
As the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office works diligently to identify the found remains, the cause of death remains unknown, but preliminary reports suggest no foul play. "There are no signs of foul play," stated the officials, as told to AZ Family. As the investigation continues to unfold, police have yet to release additional details regarding the identification of the remains or potential leads that could shed light on how the individual came to their final resting place in the remote area of South Mountain Park.
