Investigators in North County have confirmed that a jawbone found in a creek earlier this month was, in fact, human.
Jodee Reyes, a spokeswoman for the Carlsbad Police Department, told NBC 7 that the county medical examiner's office had informed CPD that it's believed the mandible is "from possibly a white or Hispanic adult male." It's also thought that the jawbone had been "in the elements" for about two years.
Investigators have been researching missing person databases in an effort to help with identification, Reyes added.
A man fishing and digging for shells at El Salto Falls near El Salto Falls Street and Adobe Springs Road on July 3 made the grisly discovery, according to the Carlsbad Police Department.
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The fisherman took his bone home with him and reported it to authorities that evening, CPD said. An Oceanside officer responded first and passed the report on to CPD. By around 10:30 that same night, the medical examiner's office had custody of the evidence, according to the Oceanside Police Department.
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There was a large police response in the area of the discovery due to the presence of extra crime scene investigators there from multiple agencies "... as this is a great training opportunity for our regional partners...," police said.
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Carlsbad police said on Tuesday that they have not yet identified the person whose jawbone it is but that the ME office is also attempting to make an ID, in its case via DNA testing. The investigation is ongoing and efforts are still being made where the mandible was discovered to locate any additional evidence.
