An investigation into human skeletal remains found more than a year ago in the Deschutes River in Bend has hit a roadblock. Forensic experts have been unable to identify who those remains belong to.
Bend Police say they received a report on Aug. 27, 2022, about the remains north of Archie Briggs Road. That’s just downstream from Sawyer Park.
Officers learned a girl spotted the bones underwater as she was swimming, The state medical examiner’s office later confirmed the bones were human.
RELATED: Bend Police seek public’s help to ID skeletal remains in Deschutes River
A Deschutes County Search and Rescue dive team recovered more bones from the area the next day.
All the bones are believed to be from one person, likely an adult. Bend Police also said it appeared the bones had been in the water for more than a year.
The remains were sent to the state medical examiner’s office for possible DNA identification. Bend Police said they were informed on Sept. 21 that a sample sent to an extraction lab was too degraded with bacteria to obtain a DNA profile.
Police say the Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office has closed the case until any additional information becomes available.
