BROOKHAVEN —  Readers continue to ask if human remains found by a hunter near Caseyville in northwest Lincoln County on Nov. 25, 2023 have been identified yet. Lincoln County Sheriff Steve Rushing said he hates to tell people there is no update. 

Rushing said the sheriff’s office continues to wait for results from the Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office lab on the Caseyville remains. He said he spoke to the crime lab about the case this week and was told they have not been able to identify the remains and the crime lab does not have a set timeline for when the remains will be identified. 

The case is out of the sheriff’s office hands until the remains can be identified. 

The Daily Leader initially reported the remains were found near a road leading into a wooded area off of Wooly Trail. Initial information indicated that no one had been to the location since about May 2023. 

Rushing clarified the remains were found on the border of private land and the Homochitto National Forest. Federal land is involved so the Federal Bureau of Investigation has been involved in the investigation since they were found. 

Due to the condition of the remains, no further description as to sex, race, or how long they had been at the scene is available without further testing by the state crime lab. Unidentified remains are sent to Mississippi’s State Medical Examiner’s Office where they remain until an identification can be made.

Identifying remains

In December, the State Medical Examiner’s Office was able to identify two-year-old remains found by an Entergy worker near Pearl in May 2023. It took seven months for the remains to be positively identified. If the Caseyville remains take seven months to identify it could be until June before there are any answers.

According to the Department of Public Safety, anyone who discovers human remains should call law enforcement. The notified agency then contacts the county medical examiner who performs a scene investigation and then refers the case to the State Medical Examiner’s Office. All human remains discoveries fall under the State Medical Examiner’s jurisdiction.

The State Medical Examiner’s office uses a combination of methods to identify bodies. DNA analysis, fingerprinting, forensics odontology and forensics radiography. Identity is then confirmed by the office’s forensic pathologist or forensic odontologist according to the Department of Public Safety.

We will continue to provide updates on this case.