Human skeletal remains found in wooded area

Shawnee County sheriff's officials were investigating the discovery of human skeletal remains that were found Monday evening in a wooded area just west of Topeka, authorities said.

Deputies were called Monday evening to an area just north and east of the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism office at 300 S.W. Wanamaker after an individual reported finding skeletal remains in the dense woods, said Shawnee County sheriff's Lt. Harry Louderback.

Sheriff's deputies responded to the scene and removed the remains with the assistance of the Shawnee County Coroner's Office, Louderback said. The skeletal remains were found on private property, Louderback said.

The search was called off Monday night because of darkness and heavy vegetation and was set to resume on Tuesday morning, Louderback said.

After an initial investigation by the sheriff's office and the coroner's office, it was announced Tuesday afternoon that the skeletal remains were confirmed to be human.

The Shawnee County Sheriff's Office was working with the Washburn University Forensic Anthropology Recovery Unit to excavate the site, officials said.

On Tuesday morning, a man who said he was in the area on Monday afternoon reported that law enforcement officers arrived at the scene about 4:30 p.m. Monday.

The man said the officers had yellow crime scene tape that was placed in an area north of a small parking lot just east of the wildlife, parks and tourism building.

As of 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, there was no indication that officers had returned to the scene.

No crime scene tape was visible at that time from a dirt walking trail leading north into a wooded area from the parking lot.