The discovery of a skull leads to an unusual death investigation in Klamath County…but police admit they’re not likely to find a killer.
Klamath County Sheriff Frank Skrah reports that the skull was discovered Monday…
“Quite frankly, we’ve already had five homicides in the last four months here. Scared the daylights out of me – I thought, ‘Oh, my gosh – here’s number six.”
Skrah notes that the skull was found by a woman cleaning out a mobile home…
“She reached up in there, came out with a box, and lo and behold, there’s a human skull in there.”
Skrah says a forensic specialist in Portland determined the skull is that of a Native American between 6 and 8 years of age, who died about 100 years ago…
“This person, it turns out to be a female, either died as a result of a violent accident, or death at the hands of another.”
Sheriff Skrah says that while there will be no criminal investigation, the discovery of the artifact leaves him wondering what may have happened…
“There’s something here that says ‘whoa’. I’ve got a couple of kids, so as a parent, you say ‘jiminey Christmas’ – I reach out and feel for that parent, even though it is 100 years old.”
The skull has since been turned over to the Klamath Tribes to ensure the remains will be laid to rest properly, according to tribal tradition.
Unlawful possession of Native American remains, or cultural artifacts is a federal offense. A conviction can lead to a year behind bars and a $100,000 fine.
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