A walk-through of a newly purchased Apple Valley property took a grim turn on Friday when the new owners discovered human remains on the lot. The find, in the 19000 block of Crest Drive, brought out deputies and crime scene investigators, who secured the area and began collecting evidence. A preliminary review showed no obvious signs of trauma, and officials say an autopsy and DNA testing will be needed to identify the person and determine how they died.
What investigators found
According to a sheriff's news release, the reporting party was walking the freshly purchased parcel when they spotted what appeared to be human remains and immediately called law enforcement. The Sheriff's Specialized Investigations Division's Homicide Detail took over the case, and detectives, crime scene specialists and the coroner's division combed the property and recovered multiple bones, FOX 11 Los Angeles reported.
Identification and next steps
Officials say a full autopsy will be conducted, and DNA testing is pending so the individual can be formally identified. For now, the person's identity and how long the remains have been there are unknown. As reported by CBS Los Angeles, anyone with information is urged to contact the Sheriff's Homicide Detail at 909‑890‑4904.
Not an isolated discovery
This case is part of a troubling pattern in San Bernardino County, where skeletal remains have turned up multiple times this year in unincorporated or remote areas. Late last month, deputies recovered what was described as an adult-sized humerus at a survey site near Greenspot Road and Alta Vista, according to the sheriff's office. Local notices and reports point to several similar discoveries in recent months, a trend highlighted by SFGATE.
How the coroner and state law factor in
The San Bernardino County Coroner's Division notes that identifying remains can involve fingerprints, dental records, X‑rays or DNA, and that when lab work is necessary, final answers can take months. If the coroner determines the remains may be Native American, state law requires notifying the Native American Heritage Commission. The commission explains that the Most Likely Descendant process under Public Resources Code section 5097.98 must then be followed, guiding consultation with tribal representatives and decisions about reinterment.
How to help
Anyone who might have information about this case is asked to call the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Homicide Detail at 909‑890‑4904. Anonymous tips can be called or texted with the word "REPORT" to We‑Tip at 844‑909‑3006, or submitted online through the sheriff's anonymous tip portal, according to FOX 11 Los Angeles.
