Human Remains Initially Mistaken as 'Halloween Decorations' Discovered Just Weeks Apart from Each Other Near N.C. Home
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12/17/2024 12:47 PM
"Then I thought, 'My God, it's got to be a human head,' " resident Shareka Smith said of the chilling find
Two sets of human remains were found behind a North Carolina home within weeks of each other, according to authorities.
According to a news release shared with PEOPLE on Tuesday, Dec. 17, the Wayne County Sheriff's Office (WCSO) said authorities were called to a residence in the the 900 block of Dollard Town Road in Goldsboro on Nov. 20 about the discovery of human remains.
"When I came and seen it I thought it was like Halloween decorations, but then I thought, 'My God, it's got to be a human head,' " Shareka Smith told ABC affiliate WTVD about the initial remains that were just feet away from her home.
After deputies and detectives processed the scene, the remains were sent to the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for analysis, the WCSO said in its news release.
But then, on Tuesday, Dec. 10, authorities received a call that there were additional remains found near the same address, the WCSO added.
"Patrol deputies and detectives responded and observed what appeared to be human remains in the caller's yard," the department's news release shared, adding, "Patrol deputies and detectives searched a wooded area adjacent to the caller's yard, which produced additional human remains." Those remains are also expected to be sent to the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
Smith's dog Boscoe, who discovered the first remains on Nov. 20, came across the second set last week, according to WTVD.
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How long the remains were in the area and whether a crime was committed are unclear, NBC affiliate WRAL reported.
The WCSO said in its news release that the investigation is ongoing. A spokesperson for the sheriff's office told CBS affiliate WNCN that there is no determination if the remains belonged to two different people but "most likely just one individual."
The recent experiences have left Smith and her family scared.
"Whoever it is, and their family members I give my condolences to them," Smith told WTVD. "All I know is we're living in a cold world, and we got to be safe out here."
