Construction crew finds human remains in Sarasota

SARASOTA, Fla. - Sarasota County deputies are investigating after a construction crew discovered partial human skeletal remains in a wooded lot on Friday morning. 

Emergency personnel spent the weekend searching the area for additional evidence.

Sarasota construction discovery

What we know:

According to SCSO, construction workers found a single set of partial human skeletal remains on Friday morning in a wooded lot off Leonard Reid Ave. in Sarasota. 

Members of the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Unit, Criminal Investigations Section, Emergency Response Team, and Sarasota K9 Search and Rescue searched the lot throughout the weekend. Forensic experts from Florida Gulf Coast University’s Human Identity & Trauma Analysis program and the District 12 Medical Examiner’s Office joined the scene on Sunday to help find and identify the remains.

What they're saying:

"There was only one set of remains located on the property, there were evidence of predation," explained Doug Johnson, acting community affairs manager for the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. "The bones were spread out over the lot. It was very overgrown lot and there was a lot of trash. There was evidence of homeless encampments there at one point, so there was a lot of stuff that they had to sift through and get through to just get to the bones on the surface."

Skeletal remains investigation

What we don't know:

Investigators have not yet determined the approximate age, sex, or manner of death for the person found in the lot. It also remains unclear exactly how long the skeletal remains had been at the site before being discovered by the workers.

Sarasota investigation details

What you can do:

Anyone who has information about this case is asked to call the Criminal Investigations Section. Tipsters can reach investigators directly by calling 941-861-4900.

Sarasota County