MISSOULA - Human remains, which were found along Deep Creek Road in June 2024, date back to the late 1700s to early 1800s.
The Missoula County Sheriff's Office announced Monday that radiocarbon testing determined the remains, which were found by recreationists on June 29, 2024, are of Native American descent.
Detectives had confirmed the remains were human, but could not identify if they were male or female due to their exposure to the elements.
During an expanded search on July 2, 2024, with help from the University of Montana Anthropology Department, additional remains from a second person were discovered. The remains, which were also exposed to the elements, were unidentifiable.
All of the remains were taken to the Medical Examiner’s Office in Missoula for further investigation.
Another report of human remains was made near Southside Road on Nov. 14, 2024, according to the sheriff's office. Detectives worked to determine if the remains found earlier in the year were related. But according to a news release, they were not able to make a determination due to the exposure of the remains to weather and environmental elements.
The remains were first examined by the Medical Examiner’s Office in Missoula, then transferred to the Montana State Medical Examiner in Billings for further review. The remains were then transferred to the University of Montana Anthropology Department for review and then to California State University, Chico, where they were radiocarbon tested.
The Missoula County Sheriff's Office states it was determined the remains date back to 1780-1810 and are believed to be of Native American descent.
"The remains were likely found elsewhere and moved to the Deep Creek and Southside areas," the sheriff's office stated.
Anyone with information about the human remains is asked to contact the Missoula County Sheriff's Office at 406-258-4810.
"This is a good reminder to the public that if you locate human remains, under any situation, please contact our office or local law enforcement immediately. Please do not disturb or relocate them," Missoula County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Jeannette Smith said.
The Montana State Burial Preservation Board, which includes representatives from the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes (CSKT), met in September and agreed that CSKT would take custody of the remains from the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office to ensure they are respectfully laid to rest.
"We want to thank the public for their patience during this process. The examination of remains found in this manner is time-consuming, but thorough. The subject matter experts work diligently to ensure nothing is missed and they are confident in their identity, when one is available. In this case, no identity could be determined," the press release states.
