DENMARK -- Investigators are attempting to identify human remains after pedestrians discovered a skull in a vacant lot.

Denmark Public Safety Investigations Capt. Joey Patsourakos said police were notified Wednesday after the grisly discovery was made around 4 p.m. on Laurel Street.

"Some people were walking through a vacant lot and saw the skull," Patsourakos said. "We went out there and secured the scene and processed the area."

In addition to the skull, investigators located several more bones, also believed to be human, in the immediate vicinity. The remains are thought to be those of a person who died at least two months ago, Patsourokis said.

The remains have been taken to a crime forensics lab at the State Law Enforcement Division. Patsourakis said a cause of death is not immediately known.

"We don't have a bullet hole in the skull or any abrasions in the bones to indicate blunt trauma," he said.

Patsourakis said SLED was called in because last week's discovery marks the second time in 16 months a human skull has been found in the Denmark area.

"We called SLED in because we found one last year and didn't know if there was any relation between the two," Patsourakis said.

On Dec. 31, 2001, a hunter found a human skull at a Highway 70 location west of Denmark. Those remains were sent to forensics specialists in Charleston for identification.

They were later identified as those of a middle-aged Denmark resident. The cause of death in that case is still under investigation, Patsourakis said.

Investigators are comparing records of persons throughout the state listed as missing in an attempt to find the identity of the victim found last week. Forensics specialists are hopeful an ID can be made by week's end, Patsourakis said.

T&D Staff Writer Richard Walker can be reached by e-mail at rwalker@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5516.

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