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A chilling find in a secluded area of Southern California’s desert region has led to a homicide investigation after a hiker came across a human skull.
Deputies from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department responded to the report around 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday. The remains were discovered in a rugged locale near the intersection of Adobe Road and Baseline Road in Twentynine Palms.
Officials stated that the skull is believed to belong to an adult and appears to have been subjected to the outdoor elements for a significant duration.
The striking landscape of Joshua trees and towering rock formations in nearby Joshua Tree National Park sets the scene as authorities delve into the case of the discovered skull.
Following standard protocol for situations involving human remains, the Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Detail has assumed control of the investigation. Detectives, in collaboration with the Coroner’s Division and crime scene experts, have thoroughly searched the vicinity and successfully retrieved the skull.
Investigators with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department investigate a crime Jan. 24, 2024. (Will Lester/MediaNews Group/Inland Valley Daily Bulletin)
No additional remains were found.
It remains unclear how the skull ended up in the remote desert landscape.
San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department officials investigate a crime Jan. 24, 2024. (Brian Van Der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
The remains will undergo forensic examination and DNA testing as investigators work to identify the individual and determine how the person died.
Officials said they are comparing the remains against local, regional and national missing persons databases, but no identifying details, including age, sex or other characteristics, are known.
Authorities say there are no known signs of trauma or foul play at this stage, though that could change pending further examination. There are also no known public safety concerns for residents or visitors to the area.
Joshua trees dot the desert landscape near Twentynine Palms, Calif., where a human skull was recently discovered. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images)
Fox News Digital reached out to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department to ask whether additional items were found, how long the remains may have been there and whether more searches are planned.
Officials said no other remains were located but declined to estimate how long the skull had been exposed and said additional information remains pending.
Anyone with information is urged to contact authorities at 909-890-4904.