teknitroxdiver
Contributor
Check out this local story about some remains found in a well. Pretty interesting.
http://www.guardonline.com/story.php?ID=63695
http://www.guardonline.com/story.php?ID=63695
Bones found in old well
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teknitroxdiver
Contributor
Oh, since the site requires registration, heres a copy of the text:
Bones found in old well
By Angelia Roberts, Guard Managing Editor
Published on 1/10/2005
VIOLA - Bones found in an old well at Pickering Hall near Viola in Fulton County are being studied to determine if they are human.
A forensic pathologist will study the remains today, according to Lt. Bill Beach with the Arkansas State Police.
Authorities began searching the well after a witness told authorities he had knowledge of them. The witness was being interviewed in an unrelated case.
"The witness provided information that the bones were in the well or cistern, whatever you want to call it," Beach said. Arkansas State Police investigators Mark Hollingsworth and Dennis Simons are leading the investigation.
At around 9 p.m. Thursday, 16th Judicial Drug Task Force Administrator Danny Ramsey was called to assist in the removal of items from inside the well. Ramsey, who is a certified scuba diver and is also a certified underwater crime scene investigator, said they were skeletal remains.
"Possibly two sets," he said.
Ramsey said he entered the well, which is about 20 feet deep and filled with 14 feet of water, where he found the first set of bones floating on top of a tarp.
Using a body bag cut in half, he placed the items inside.
"After that evidence was collected we recovered additional remains," he said.
Ramsey said while authorities are still speculating over whether the remains are human, one bone found inside the well looked to be an implant, "one that is manufactured," he said.
The items found on the floating tarp looked to be a vertebra, he said. "Right after I recovered it, they took it to the funeral home in Salem," he said.
Ramsey said the hand-dug well was drained, revealing debris and bone fragments littered all around.
At the base of the well, there were two to three additional tarps, "pretty much identical to the first one," found. Large rocks had been placed on top of them, he said.
In addition to the unidentified bones, Ramsey said there were some animal bones, as well. "There were two skulls ... easily identified as some kind of small animal. No human skulls were found," he said
Using another body bag, Ramsey said he scooped up the items as best he could in an effort to keep everything intact.
When asked if the bundles (tarps) could be tents, Ramsey replied, "They could have very well been tents. From my standpoint, they were rolled up real tight in a bundle."
After removing the bundles, Ramsey said he continued to pick up additional bone fragments. In doing so he found a shiny metal piece that revealed an old manual typewriter.
For a minute he said it confused him after finding the artificial bone. He also found a piece of material, "like at T-shirt. Most of it was bones. There were also some clumps of tissue."
Ramsey said the cool temperature and lack of sunlight were instrumental in keeping things preserved. Ramsey said he was inside the well for probably about four hours.
According to Ramsey, the witness who provided the information to investigators said he had discovered the items about eight years ago.
The witness told DTF Chief Investigator Scott Russell he and a friend were picking up aluminum cans eight or nine years ago when he saw what he thought was a body. He said he was afraid to tell authorities because he might be blamed.
Fulton County Sheriff Walter Dillinger said the well was located on property that used to contain an old schoolhouse. Dillinger, who has been in office less than a week, said information should be forthcoming later today.
Dillinger said the witness had told his father at the time he thought he had seen a body in the well, but the father had discounted his story. He also said the witness has been in trouble with the law previously and would not have been the type to notify the police.
Currently, there are no individuals listed as missing in Fulton County, Dillinger said.
Beach said in another case bones had been found and were thought to be human, but they were bear bones.
Bones found in old well
By Angelia Roberts, Guard Managing Editor
Published on 1/10/2005
VIOLA - Bones found in an old well at Pickering Hall near Viola in Fulton County are being studied to determine if they are human.
A forensic pathologist will study the remains today, according to Lt. Bill Beach with the Arkansas State Police.
Authorities began searching the well after a witness told authorities he had knowledge of them. The witness was being interviewed in an unrelated case.
"The witness provided information that the bones were in the well or cistern, whatever you want to call it," Beach said. Arkansas State Police investigators Mark Hollingsworth and Dennis Simons are leading the investigation.
At around 9 p.m. Thursday, 16th Judicial Drug Task Force Administrator Danny Ramsey was called to assist in the removal of items from inside the well. Ramsey, who is a certified scuba diver and is also a certified underwater crime scene investigator, said they were skeletal remains.
"Possibly two sets," he said.
Ramsey said he entered the well, which is about 20 feet deep and filled with 14 feet of water, where he found the first set of bones floating on top of a tarp.
Using a body bag cut in half, he placed the items inside.
"After that evidence was collected we recovered additional remains," he said.
Ramsey said while authorities are still speculating over whether the remains are human, one bone found inside the well looked to be an implant, "one that is manufactured," he said.
The items found on the floating tarp looked to be a vertebra, he said. "Right after I recovered it, they took it to the funeral home in Salem," he said.
Ramsey said the hand-dug well was drained, revealing debris and bone fragments littered all around.
At the base of the well, there were two to three additional tarps, "pretty much identical to the first one," found. Large rocks had been placed on top of them, he said.
In addition to the unidentified bones, Ramsey said there were some animal bones, as well. "There were two skulls ... easily identified as some kind of small animal. No human skulls were found," he said
Using another body bag, Ramsey said he scooped up the items as best he could in an effort to keep everything intact.
When asked if the bundles (tarps) could be tents, Ramsey replied, "They could have very well been tents. From my standpoint, they were rolled up real tight in a bundle."
After removing the bundles, Ramsey said he continued to pick up additional bone fragments. In doing so he found a shiny metal piece that revealed an old manual typewriter.
For a minute he said it confused him after finding the artificial bone. He also found a piece of material, "like at T-shirt. Most of it was bones. There were also some clumps of tissue."
Ramsey said the cool temperature and lack of sunlight were instrumental in keeping things preserved. Ramsey said he was inside the well for probably about four hours.
According to Ramsey, the witness who provided the information to investigators said he had discovered the items about eight years ago.
The witness told DTF Chief Investigator Scott Russell he and a friend were picking up aluminum cans eight or nine years ago when he saw what he thought was a body. He said he was afraid to tell authorities because he might be blamed.
Fulton County Sheriff Walter Dillinger said the well was located on property that used to contain an old schoolhouse. Dillinger, who has been in office less than a week, said information should be forthcoming later today.
Dillinger said the witness had told his father at the time he thought he had seen a body in the well, but the father had discounted his story. He also said the witness has been in trouble with the law previously and would not have been the type to notify the police.
Currently, there are no individuals listed as missing in Fulton County, Dillinger said.
Beach said in another case bones had been found and were thought to be human, but they were bear bones.
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