Editor's Note:
This story was updated at 3 p.m. on Feb. 5 to include information on where the remains were located, to show the initial 911 caller declined to comment when reached and to include details from a press release issued by Ashland police.
ASHLAND — Investigators are attempting to identify human remains found along Ninth Street over the weekend by matching teeth to dental records.
Jenny Taylor, investigator from the Ashland County Coroner’s Office, said Monday the remains — bones and teeth — were sent to Lucas County for an autopsy and positive ID.
Autopsy results can take months to complete and receive, but positively identifying these remains depends largely on the teeth.
“Some of the teeth were missing out of the mouth. We don’t know what happened to them. So we don’t know if the dental records will be enough,” Taylor said.
So, she said, officials are trying to match dental records with the teeth found with the remains. But they aren’t sure if there are enough teeth to be able to do that.
“We found a few teeth on the ground. I don’t know how many were missing and if we collected them all. There were leaves on the ground, so we were combing through trying to find stuff,” she said.
Taylor said the remains were located in the woods next to the Ohio Department of Transportation’s District 3 office.
“They were back in there at least a hundred yards or more (from East Ninth Street). There was a winding path to get back to the area. There was no trail, we kinda created one,” she said.
If teeth aren’t enough for a positive ID, investigators will depend on DNA, Taylor said. If that’s the case, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s lab in London, Ohio will analyze DNA, she said.
“And that could take some time,” she said.
When asked for further details, such as whether or not officials suspect foul play, Taylor declined, citing an ongoing investigation.
Ashland police issued a press release at 3 p.m. on Monday that verified investigators are relying on dental records and DNA to “help with that identification.”
“We do not have a timeline for when that may occur, and we appreciate the public’s patience,” the release stated.
Police reiterated there is no danger to the public.
911 call
The remains were discovered by a man walking in the area on Sunday afternoon. He placed the call at 12:27 p.m.
“I just found a dead body,” he told the dispatcher, adding he was on the east end of Ninth Street, near the railroad spur that used to service General Latex.
The dispatcher asked if he could tell if it was a male or female.
“I can’t tell — it’s bones. I’m guessing it was a guy by the shoes that were still on,” he said.
The caller spelled his name for the dispatcher before hanging up. The call lasted one minute and 38 seconds.
When a reporter spoke to the caller, he declined to comment.
Taylor declined to describe the shoes found on the remains, citing an ongoing investigation.