Local
Skeletal remains found with duffel bag near South Potter Road in Lancaster County
A person found skeletal remains in a field near Bear Creek Park on Oct. 17. Investigators believe the remains are those of a man who may have been there for more than a year, but less than five years.
LANCASTER COUNTY, S.C. — Investigators are working to identify skeletal remains found Oct. 17 in a field near Bear Creek Park, along with a duffel bag containing personal items that may help determine who the person was.
The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office was called to the area near South Potter Road after a person discovered the remains. Lancaster County Coroner Karla Knight Deese said her office and investigators are collecting evidence together.
The remains were sent to the Richland County Coroner’s Office Forensic Anthropology Department for examination. Deese said investigators currently believe the person was a man and that the remains had been at the site for more than a year, but less than five years.
Experts can examine bones for signs of injuries, including possible gunshot or stab wounds. DNA testing may also help establish identity, though Deese said that process can take time. The sheriff’s office has said investigators have not found evidence of foul play so far and remain in the early stages of the investigation.
The discovery is at least the second report of human remains in this part of South Carolina this year. In May, contractors working at a business near downtown Rock Hill found remains on Oakland Avenue, prompting a police investigation.
Deese said identifying an unknown person can bring long-awaited answers to relatives and help them begin to process a loss. The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information about the remains or the nearby belongings to contact the agency.