Police believe the 39-year-old was murdered.

Major crime detectives started to dig at the property in Port Lincoln at 9am, after the backyard was scanned with a ground-penetrating radar provided by the Australian Federal Police yesterday.

Police found the bone an hour into the excavation and sent the item for forensic examination to test if the bone is human.

The search for the remains has been temporarily paused pending the results.

South Australian Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said police hoped for a resolution in the cold case.

“We will wait and see what comes out of that search,” Stevens said this morning.

“There is no such thing as a closed unsolved murder investigation, they remain open, are subject to regular review and we take opportunities to explore fresh information or evidence as it comes to light.”

Family and friends of Goodwin have been notified about the discovery today.

Police are offering a $200,000 reward for anyone who provides information that leads to a conviction or the discovery of Goodwin’s remains.