Description

On 01/17/2024 a human skull was located in the woods when a couple was looking for their dog and stumbled across it in the snow. Dog was retrieved and the couple made their way out of the woods and called 911. Area is about 1/2 mile into the woods by an old abandoned homeless camp near the train tracks. At the time there were no other specimens/remains located in the area, but there was approximately 3 inches of frozen snow on the ground. No associated tissue or clothing reported. Skull was collected and area was marked for further search once the snow melted. On 03/13/2024, additional remains were located during a scheduled search in the woods behind 32 Lincoln St, Holyoke, MA. Long and short bones, as well as vertebrae were located on top of the soil, covered by leaves. The bones were scattered within a 30 foot radius along with some clothing (shoes, belt, and pants) located nearby. After examination it was reported that the remains consist of a partial cranial and postcranial skeleton in good to excellent condition of a male, probable older adult (20-60 years, likely toward the upper portion of that interval) individual of probable European- or African-derived population affinity. Stature is estimated at 64. 3 ± 3. 9 inches (60. 3-68. 2 inches). No perimortem trauma or antemortem trauma are visible, and antemortem pathological changes consist of extensive tooth loss, OA, and incipient ankylosing spondylitis. Based upon the overall taphonomic observations, the postmortem interval is broadly estimated at one half to two years.