Hiker stumbles upon human skull near Arizona mountain trail, police say
A hiker stumbled upon a human skull near a desert trail in Arizona, police said.
The skull was discovered at 1:50 p.m. on Jan. 14 in South Mountain Park, the Phoenix Police Department said in a Thursday, Jan. 19, news release.
South Mountain Park includes 16,000 acres with over 50 miles of trails and three mountain ranges, according to the City of Phoenix.
It’s unclear how far the skull was found from the main trail, police said.
When police responded to the hiker’s call, they discovered the skull had “what appeared to be trauma,” according to the release.
The case was turned over to homicide detectives.
The skull was given to the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office. Investigators are working to identify the skull and any suspects.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Phoenix Police Department or Silent Witness at 480-948-6377, or 480-837-8446 for Spanish speakers.
This story was originally published January 19, 2023 at 4:29 PM with the headline "Hiker stumbles upon human skull near Arizona mountain trail, police say."
