Human remains found in missing man case

HAILEY (AP) - Police say they found human remains in a pile of leaves in the backyard of a central Idaho resident who is now charged with second-degree murder.

Keith Eric Blankenship, 49, of Hailey was charged Thursday in 5th District Court. Bail is set at $500,000.

Authorities say Blankenship went to the Blaine County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday and told detectives he hadn't been truthful when previously questioned about the disappearance of 47-year-old Steve Michael Romanchuk of Hailey.

Romanchuk was reported missing from his residence on Jan. 15.

Based on Blankenship's statements on Wednesday, he was arrested and detectives searched his home on Thursday.

The body hasn't been positively identified, and a cause of death hasn't been determined.