Human bones were discovered in a dry creek bed in Yolo County on April 17. Multiple leg bones were found, as well as a rib and a jawbone.
It was originally suspected that the bones might be connected to the disappearance of Leticia Barrales Ramos, but the Yolo County Sheriff’s Department says otherwise.
“It’s not possibly her. All of the information we have leads us to believe it is not her. We even went out and did a second search,” said Detective Jennifer Davis, who is working on the case.
Ramos disappeared from Winters last month. She has not been seen since and is assumed deceased. Ramos was a 28-year-old mother and her husband has since been charged with her murder.
Though there is no direct evidence that the bones are the aftermath of a murder, information about the remains is still being withheld. Davis said this is done to prevent interference in what could become a criminal investigation.
“As with any case involving human remains, it is being handled as suspicious until proven otherwise,” a Yolo County press release stated.
“The bones were originally found by hunters in the area and during a further search detectives and coroners located more human bones.”
The second search was conducted on April 28, but did not yield any results.
Police brought the bones to the anthropology department at Chico State to research the age, sex, height and weight of the body that was found.
“Because the bones were found easily and not dug up they will be able to use carbon dating and other sources that can be used on more recent bones to determine the age of the bones,” said Amanda Avery, a UC Davis alumna who majored in anthropology.
“The bones that were found were easily identified, which makes me think that these bones are from more recent years,” Avery said in an e-mail. “Also, the femur is the largest bone in an individual’s body, which means that anthropologists will be able to determine sex and age.”
While the identity of the remains is still unknown, Avery said she is anticipating news after more research is done.
“If anything, these bones are going to help solve an unknown mystery of an individual’s disappearance, which is huge in all aspects of the discovery,” she said.
AARON WEISS can be reached at city@theaggie.org.
