Details on human remains emerge

A medical examiner believes the human bones found by a hiker near Bayview on Feb. 4 are of a white male possibly between 30 and 50 years old.

Kootenai County Sheriff's Office detectives received the preliminary results after their agency transported the bones to the King County (Wash.) Medical Examiner's Office in hopes of identifying whose bones they are. It also appears that the person has been deceased for less than two years.

KCSO Lt. Stu Miller said "numerous" bones were recovered.

"We did recover the skull," Miller said.

Dental records from the remains have been entered into the national database for missing individuals in hopes of further identifying the decedent, Miller said.

Sheriff's detectives are in contact with the medical examiner for updates, but are not expecting any significant results for several weeks as the investigation continues, he said.

The King County office is being used because of its expertise and board certifications in forensic anthropology, Miller said.

"Detectives are not releasing any other information as this is still an active investigation," Miller said.

The hiker found the bones in a forest off Cape Horn Road near Bayview while hunting for antler sheds. Miller said the bones no longer had muscle or flesh on them.

Miller earlier said that he's not aware of any other evidence that was found near the bones.

The KCSO is aware of seven missing people from Kootenai County.