Sheriff’s Office awaiting DNA results from bones

The bones found in South Kitsap earlier this month are believed to be from a young man killed within the past year, the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office reported.

Spokesman Deputy Scott Wilson said that the latest information released from the King County Medical Examiner’s Office describes the human remains found June 8 as being “from a man in his late teens to early 20s,” and that he likely died anywhere from two to 12 months ago.

Wilson said he has not received definitive word that there was a complete set of bones found, but he said investigators do not believe there are more bones and have suspended their digging operation.

Last week, Wilson said a forensic anthropologist with the King County Medical Examiner’s Office is cleaning the bones and attempting to assemble a full skeleton.

Meanwhile, DNA samples were taken from three different areas of the bones and sent to the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab in an attempt to determine if the remains are from one or more persons.

He said there is no way to know when more information will be released.

The bones were found wrapped in a plastic tarp near a construction site on the 3100 block of Harold Drive, two days after a shoe with human remains was found nearby by contractors building new homes.

Wilson said it has not been determined definitively that the foot and other remains are from the same person, but he said it is very likely they are.

Along with the remains, plastic tarp and electrical wire, Wilson said detectives found an additional item that leads them to believe the death is a homicide.

“They uncovered something — they are not telling me what it is, because they do not want it released — that changed the whole (course) of the investigation,” Wilson said. “The cause of death is still unknown.”

As to when more results would be revealed by King County officials, Wilson said “they are working at their own speed.”

The shoe was found by a crew around 6:30 p.m. June 6, on Harold Drive just north of Lund Avenue.

“At first they thought someone had just tossed the shoe out,” Wilson said. Soon, however, they noticed a sock that still contained bones and tissue.

The investigation is continuing, and anyone with information is asked to contact Det. Mike Rodrigue at (360) 337-4479, or Det. Chad Birkenfeld at (360) 337-5619.

Those who wish to remain anonymous may contact Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound at

1-800-222-8477.

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