Fragments of 10-20 human skulls have been discovered in a burned-out house in a small town in New Mexico after the man who lived there tossed bones out of a car while hitching a ride. According to the New York Times, the police made the grisly discovery earlier this month at a residence in Jal "associated with rumours of human remains". The Lea County sheriff, Corey Helton, said the investigators have sent the fragments to a state lab for testing any potential identification, which could take up to a month. For now, investigators don't know if the bones were ancient or if they could be linked to any missing persons or homicide cases, he added.
But investigators are "actively examining the possibility that some, if not all, of the human remains may have been purchased online," the sheriff's office continued, per New York Times. "Everything is based on what we find out from the anthropologist, which will dictate what direction we go," Sheriff Helton said.
According to the New York Post, authorities began investigating after they received a call from a resident who reported an "unsettling encounter" while offering someone a ride on November 5. The resident claimed that the passenger, identified as Cecil Villanueva, "made alarming statements" and threw items from his vehicle - some of which "appeared to be human bones," police said.
Cops searched the area near a convenience store and found bone fragments that a pathologist confirmed as human. Authorities then searched Villanueva's home the following day and discovered additional bone fragments, including part of a skull and jawbone. Police stated that "10-20" human skulls were discovered during a second search of the house three days later.
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Sheriff Helton said that investigators are now exploring whether some of the skull pieces might be linked to the disappearance of a Jal resident, Angela McManes, who was last seen in May 2019. She reportedly lived on the same street as the property where the bone fragments were discovered. But the sheriff's office said that, so far, "there does not appear to be a link" to Ms McManes, beyond the proximity of her home to the property where the skull fragments were found.
"Authorities are working diligently to determine the connection between the remains and McManes, as well as other possible victims," the sheriff's office said.
Cecil Villanueva has been charged with criminal trespass, a misdemeanour. He is in custody at the Lea County Detention Center, officials said.
