On Sunday, Jan. 13 at around 2:30 p.m. a Mendocino County Deputy Sheriff was dispatched to contact a person who had reportedly discovered the presence of human skeletal remains near the city of Fort Bragg.

Upon contact the person said they had been hiking near the California Pacific Railroad approximately two miles east of the city of Fort Bragg when they discovered the remains.

The deputy sheriff responded to the location the person described and confirmed the presence of human skeletal remains.

Sheriff’s detectives were summoned to the scene and began further investigations. At this time detectives have reason to believe the remains are of a missing person who disappeared within the last few months from the Fort Bragg area.

The identity of the remains is being withheld pending positive identification. Detectives are currently following up on workable leads in an attempt to make a positive identification.