WASHINGTON, Pa. — The Washington County Coroner has a preliminary identification on the human remains found in a wooded area next to Interstate 70.
Coroner Tim Warco wants to reassure the public that there’s nothing to be concerned about regarding this case, after receiving multiple calls.
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“I want to reassure the community there is no danger of an actor out there hurting anyone,” said Warco. “The skeletal remains have been there for a number of years, just haphazardly found by a walker, a passerby, who got lost, and came across what I’m sure was very earth-shattering to her.”
The coroner’s office is working with an anthropologist and the team from Mercyhurst, who carefully collected and removed the remains. While early forensic reports don’t know show anything suspicious, Warco says it will still be hard to determine the exact cause of death.
“We probably will never know the cause of death, simply because of the advanced age of the skeletal remains found in the woods,” said Warco.
Warco believes the body may be that of a person who was reported missing during what he called, ‘the Covid period.’ And they have contacted a family member.
However, he won’t be making an official identification until a lengthy and thorough investigation.
“The last thing we would ever want to do is notify the family of a wrong identity and that’s why it is so important to cross all the t’s and dot all the i’s before making that determination.”
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