Boerne police: Human remains found along Menger Creek

BOERNE, Texas – Law enforcement agents and forensic experts have taken over an Interstate 10 highway construction site where workers discovered what Boerne police said are partial human remains.

No other description was given.

"Cause of death is unknown; the age, the gender, anything else related to the identity is unknown," said Boerne police Lt. Steve Perez.

Perez said the crew came upon the remains along Menger Creek, where they are building a frontage road, late Monday afternoon.

Perez said the Texas Department of Transportation is aware of the situation.

"The project is on hold until we finish collecting evidence and everything else we need to do," Perez said.

He said it could take at least another day or two.

But Perez said it's too early to tell whether Monday's discovery had any anything to do with last month's heavy rains.

In addition to a DPS evidence tech and the Texas Rangers, Perez said a forensic anthropology team made up of faculty and students was brought in from Texas State University in San Marcos.

Dr. Michelle Hamilton, an assistant professor of anthropology, said they specialize in recovering and analyzing skeletal and decomposing human remains.

"What sex they might be, their age range, maybe their height, other things that are individual to them to help make a positive identification," Hamilton said.

She said they will be able to assist investigators and the Bexar County Medical Examiner.

Hamilton said their skills also can help pinpoint whether trauma was involved, "to help reconstruct who that person is, maybe how they died, or when they might have died."


About the Author:

Jessie Degollado has been with KSAT since 1984. She is a general assignments reporter who covers a wide variety of stories. Raised in Laredo and as an anchor/reporter at KRGV in the Rio Grande Valley, Jessie is especially familiar with border and immigration issues. In 2007, Jessie also was inducted into the San Antonio Women's Hall of Fame.