A Buda man is facing a state jail felony charge after Kyle police say he tried to resell an alleged human skull on social media. Sean Edward Shymkiw, 24, was booked into Hays County Jail on May 27 on a charge of purchase or sale of human organs and was released the next day after posting $5,000 bond. He told investigators he bought the skull from an online retailer, and police say the investigation is still active.
Police say social media sale set off investigation
According to CBS Austin, Kyle police said they received a tip that Shymkiw was trying to resell the skull on social media. Officers later took him into custody. The station reported that detectives are combing through online posts as part of the investigation. Authorities have not said whether the object will be sent for forensic testing to determine if it is actually human.
Felony charge tied to reclassified organ-sale law
Shymkiw was booked on a charge listed by police as purchase or sale of human organs, an offense the Texas Legislature reclassified as a state jail felony in 2025. The change, S.B. 456, raised the classification and added provisions affecting medical licensing, according to the Legislature's analysis. Under Texas law, a state jail felony generally carries 180 days to two years in a state jail facility and a fine of up to $10,000. Enhancements can increase those penalties, the bill analysis and the state penal code note.
String of recent cases involves alleged human remains online
The arrest lands in the middle of a run of high-profile incidents this year where alleged human remains have shown up in social posts and videos. In March, authorities arrested a Bartonville man after video showed him throwing a bucket of bones over the fence at the FBI's Dallas field office, coverage from NBC DFW and CBS News Texas reported. Closer to home, Kyle police opened an investigation last August after a landscaping crew reported finding what appeared to be a human skull along Kyle Parkway, according to the San Marcos Record.
What happens next
Kyle police say the investigation is ongoing and have not released further details on how the skull was obtained or whether additional charges might follow. Anyone with information is asked to call the City of Kyle Police Department non-emergency line at 512-268-3232 or contact Hays County Crime Stoppers, the department noted. CBS Austin first reported the arrest.
