Human Remains Found Near Hotchkiss, Colorado

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Breaking news...a body has been located near Hotchkiss, Colorado.

Initial reports are that the remains have been in this location for several years. A reliable source reports that the remains are most likely NOT those of Paige.

This is a developing story, more details as they are learned. You are likely to hear more about this story soon but you are now aware that the news is most likely not a part of our story.

 

[janetupnorth]

Hmm...not again...hate hearing of anyone found dead.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

I'm with you, Janet, however, at the same time, finding these remains is likely going to solve a mystery of another missing person.

 

[Lisa/ChefBear]

I hope for Paige's family it's not Paige in one way, but in another it would be closure.

I feel for these families and all the are going through.

Praise God, some family will be getting closure or peace to know where their family is.

Lisa

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Part of skull found near Somerset
Identifying human remains could take weeks to months

By PAUL SHOCKLEY Link: http://www.gjsentinel.com/hp/content/news/stories/2009/09/15/091609_1a_remains_found.html
Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Identification of human remains found over the weekend on a rugged, remote hillside north of Somerset could take weeks to months, Gunnison County officials said Tuesday.

The remains — a skull missing its lower jaw and other human bones scattered in a roughly 100-foot radius around the skull — were found Saturday by a worker who was clearing trees, according to Gunnison County Sheriff Rick Murdie.

“No flesh, nothing ... it had been there a good long time,” Murdie said, who declined to offer a time frame estimate.

Murdie and Gunnison County Coroner Frank Vader said Tuesday that a determination of sex and age for the remains had not been made.

Aside from the skull, Vader said “associated artifacts” were found nearby, including unspecified bones and an item of clothing Vader declined to describe in detail.

The skull and bones were all found in plain view; none was partially buried, Murdie said.

The skull had two remaining upper teeth. When asked if he believed the teeth were still in a condition that would allow a viable comparison to dental records, Murdie said, “Yes, I think they would be.”

The remains were turned over to the Gunnison County Coroner’s Office on Monday after deputies had searched the area around the find Sunday.

Murdie said they’ll be returning to the area soon.

Murdie described the land as heavily wooded on private property, behind a locked gate, and on a roughly 50-degree slope.

“It has been logged and it’s some of the nastiest country I’ve been around in a long time,” he said. “You couldn’t get me to hunt out there and don’t believe anyone else would.”

The property owners, who were not identified, have cooperated with investigators, Murdie said.

Murdie said Gunnison County has no active missing persons cases and they were in the process Tuesday of contacting surrounding agencies about Saturday’s discovery.

Mesa County Sheriff’s spokeswoman Heather Benjamin said they hadn’t heard from Gunnison County.

 

[Sheila]

That's great that some family will hopefully have closure soon. But I agree, sad at the same time.They will measure the bones, estimate the age and approximate date of death and then enter that and the gender into NCIC (National Crime Information Center) which will cross reference the details with all missing persons files nation-wide and respond with any possible matches giving the investigating agency a lead or a few leads for a possible identity. NCIC allows Law Enforcement Officials access to missing person files across the country without them having to spend countless man hours on the phone calling around to try & find the agency who made a particular missing person case. Pretty cool, huh?

 

[legacypc46]

Thank you for staying on top of this KG. Hopefully Paige will be found soon.
leggy

 

[Judybabe]

I need to read up on this missing lady. I'm pretty close to her neck of the woods I believe.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

You are about 450 miles away from Grand Junction, where Paige's home was located. Thumbnail sketch - Paige went on a picnic with her first ex-husband, left him to go home, and hasn't been seen since. That was June 28, 2007. You can read the whole story in the Missing thread (it's pinned on the top of the forum.) You can also read her story on a website called Help Find the Missing.You'll find a link to her story at the bottom of my sig line.

 

[janetupnorth]

I need to read up on this missing lady. I'm pretty close to her neck of the woods I believe.

There is a thread here to explain a lot of it...take the good and leave the bad and ugly. Any life if precious. The white ribbon on the logo/banner on the site is for her too.

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

Oh my, how horrible for whatever family this is.

Only two teeth? Teeth are the last thing to decompose so I'm guessing that either a) this was a child who was just getting teeth b) it was an older person or somebody with false teeth or c) (the most horrifying possibility of all) the person suffered a violent, terrible death.

 

[Judybabe]

I remember now seeing this episode on tv. ranch style house I believe, not sure it's been a while.went to the website, spent some time reading about many missing persons. wow is all I can say.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Renewed hope for family of missing girl

DON COLEMAN Link: http://www.kjct8.com/Global/story.asp?S=11146460

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KJCT) -- Bones found in Gunnison County are giving hope to a Grand Junction family, hoping it's their daughter.

The human skull was located Saturday, September 12th north of the town of Somerset. Authorities are saying they have a reason to believe the skull is that of a female.

The Blee family is one of 19 families on the Western Slope who pay close attention every time human remains are found, hoping for some sort of resolution to their cold case.

Their daughter, Marie Blee, went missing in 1979, nearly 30 years ago. Her parents, Mona and Paul, say they still think about her everyday.

"We've just looked and looked... And it would just be nice to put an end to that kind of thing," Mona Blee said. "We'd like to find her, so we can put her where we know she is."

Marie was 15 years old when she went missing after a 4H dance party in Routt County, southern Colorado. Described by her parents as an upbeat, loving young lady, the void in Mona and Paul's lives is very apparent.

"She'll always be a teenager," Paul Blee said. Mona added, "I've never thought of her as a grown woman. She'd be in her 40's by now."

So long after Marie went missing, the Blees say they're don holding a grudge against whomever, if anyone, is responsible for the disappearance of their daughter. Right now, they say they just need peace.

"It would be so wonderful if that was Marie," Mona said. Paul later added, "Somebody knows [where she is]."

While the Blees continue to hold out hope, identifying the remains found in Gunnison County could take a while. The Mesa County Coroner, who is not assigned to this case, says a timetable for identification depends on a lot of things. He says it depends on what bones are recovered, and their conditions. He adds that it could take days, or in some cases even years, if ever, for identification.

Since identification is continuing to be determined at this point, there has been no link so far to Grand Junction missing woman Paige Birgfeld. She went missing in June of 2007.

In a telephone conversation with Paige's father, Frank, he says he has not been contacted by authorities and has no reason to believe the skull is Paige's.

The Gunnison County Sheriff's Office released little information on Wednesday about the investigation. They did say the skull has been recovered, and that they believe the skull is female. Also, they found more items at the crime scene, but did not specify what they were.

According to an email from the Under sheriff, the remains they found were scattered around a remote area.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Gunnison sheriff: Skull, bones not Paige Birgfeld'sBy PAUL SHOCKLEY Link: http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2009/09/16/091709_1A_skull_folo.htmlWednesday, September 16, 2009Gunnison County Sheriff Rick Murdie on Wednesday said he’s confident human remains recovered from a hillside near Somerset are not those of missing Grand Junction woman Paige Birgfeld.“These bones had been on the ground a lot longer than two years,” said Murdie, who said his agency had been in contact about the find with an investigator from the Mesa County Sheriff’s Department, among other agencies.“I don’t believe we’re dealing with Paige here.”Birgfeld, 34, was last heard from driving to her Grand Junction home the night of June 28, 2007.Murdie did not offer an estimate for how long he believes the remains were exposed outdoors. He said a preliminary analysis conducted Tuesday by anthropology faculty at Western State College, and Gunnison County Coroner Frank Vader, suggested the bones belonged to a female approximately in her 20s.Those descriptors have been entered into a missing persons database maintained by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, Murdie said.They’re waiting for a match.“Then we go to the agency that answered that information,” Murdie said.The bones will be shipped to forensic pathologists in Montrose, who will be asked to determine cause and manner of death, he said.“There’s a lot of work to be done yet,” Murdie said.Gunnison authorities have said the remains — a skull missing its lower jaw bone and seven other upper-body bones — were found on steep, rough terrain that is private property just north of Somerset. A worker who was clearing trees in the area stumbled upon the bones on Saturday.An item of clothing, which authorities have refused to describe in detail, was also found.Murdie said a search team, which will include anthropology faculty and students from Western State, will be returning to the site in the coming days to comb over more of the area around the find.The sheriff has said the partial skull and bones were found scattered in a roughly 100-foot radius.

 

[pampchefsarah]

Oh my, how horrible for whatever family this is.

Only two teeth? Teeth are the last thing to decompose so I'm guessing that either a) this was a child who was just getting teeth b) it was an older person or somebody with false teeth or c) (the most horrifying possibility of all) the person suffered a violent, terrible death.

While I'm sure she did suffer before she died (the police seem to pretty much be saying this person most likely did not go to this remote spot by choice), the fact the remains are scattered and the lower jaw is missing makes me think they were scavenged by animals.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

I remember now seeing this episode on tv. ranch style house I believe, not sure it's been a while.went to the website, spent some time reading about many missing persons. wow is all I can say.

Help Find the Missing is a very sobering place to visit. The volunteers up there are all dedicated to the project and they all take missing persons seriously, almost personally.One of the founders of the site is Grande, a cybersleuth who first informed all of us about Paige's disappearance. If you read the Missing thread - or at least make an attempt to wade through the first several pages - you'll find several posts by Grande. He was quite an item here for awhile!

 

[janetupnorth]

Help Find the Missing is a very sobering place to visit. The volunteers up there are all dedicated to the project and they all take missing persons seriously, almost personally.

One of the founders of the site is Grande, a cybersleuth who first informed all of us about Paige's disappearance. If you read the Missing thread - or at least make an attempt to wade through the first several pages - you'll find several posts by Grande. He was quite an item here for awhile!

Tell him I said "hi" again KG (not because he was an item - I'm happily married), but because I have great respect for all his hard work and dedication to what he does.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

He knows. Trust me, he knows everything.

 

[janetupnorth]

He knows. Trust me, he knows everything.

Big Brother is watching...

 

[raebates]

Well, some family will be getting closure.

And, at least Grande is a benevolent Big Brother.

 

[pamperedlinda]

Well, some family will be getting closure.

And, at least Grande is a benevolent Big Brother.

yes - and he ain't bad on the eyes either

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

If I were a bad guy, though, I'd sure hate to know Grande was on my tail. He and Zoltan Zion are relentless on behalf of those who are defenseless.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

UPDATE: Human Remains Found near Hotchkiss, ColoradoAuthorities closer to identifying remains

Link: http://www.kjct8.com/Global/story.asp?S=11200753

GUNNISON COUNTY (KJCT) -- Investigators in Gunnison County now have a victim in mind in connection with the bones found there a few weeks ago.

While they are not releasing any new information about the investigation, they say they've been in close contact with authorities on missing persons cases in the western half of the state.

The bones have not been identified yet, but investigators say they have a pretty good idea of who it might be.

A human skull containing two teeth was found north of Somerset, about 60 miles east of Grand Junction earlier this month.

Sheriff's Deputies believe the bones belong to a "young female." They have ruled out missing Grand Junction woman Paige Birgfeld.

Investigators hope to have confirmation of the identity by the end of next week

 

[Saturday Gourmet]

I think sites like Help Find the Missing are wonderful. I know long after the authorities "phase out" on the search, the family is left still looking, with little resources. What a wonderful resource this site must be.