On July 22, the Commerce City Police Department completed its search of the Burlington Canal at 58th Avenue and York Street. After an extensive search a human pelvis, femur bone, finger bone, and tibia/fibula bone were found.
The bones are now being examined by the Adams County Coroner's Office. The Coroner's Office is estimating up to three weeks to determine the cause and the manner of death. The bones will be examined to determine if a DNA profile can be collected. This process could take up to two months.
Additionally, the bones will be examined by an anthropologist to determine age, sex, and ethnicity.
The Commerce City Police Department is currently looking into any open missing person cases and working with other law enforcement agencies in the metro area in an attempt to identify the remains.
Click on the links below to see the full size photos.
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Further information will be released as it becomes available.
If anyone has information in reference to this matter please call the Commerce City Police Department at 303-227-8840.
On July 20, the Commerce City Police Department began a death investigation after human remains were found on the bank of the Burlington Canal in the 5800 Block of York Street.
On July 20, patrol officers were flagged down by a fisherman who stated he found what he believed to be a human skeleton leg on the bank of the canal. Investigators responded to the area and found more human remains on the bank northwest of the canal.
At this time in the investigation the identity of the remains are still unknown, the cause and manner of death are also unknown. The investigation is continuing.
Parts of the BurlingtonCanal water supply have been shut down temporarily at Franklin Street and drained to assist in the investigation. This shut down will affect farmers from Franklin Street bridge to about 120th Avenue and parts of the City of Thornton. The Commerce City Police Department is hoping to have the water turned back on by this afternoon.