Possible human bones found near Mississippi River - KFVS12 News & Weather Cape Girardeau, Carbondale, Poplar Bluff

Possible human bones found near Mississippi River

Posted: Updated:
DYER COUNTY, TN (KFVS) -

A riverside joy ride turns gruesome when an ATV rider stumbles upon some possible human skeletal remains.

According to Dyer County Sheriff Jeff Box, a man was riding a four-wheeler around Island #10 on the Mississippi River Saturday when he spotted something on the ground that looked like a human femur, or a thigh bone. That's when he called the police.

The sheriff says investigators collected the bone as evidence and scoured the area to see if any more remains were in the area. They found a second bone nearby.

Box says the remains will be taken to the Shelby County Medical Examiner's office in Memphis for DNA testing. Authorities will work to confirm they are human and learn the identity of the person.

The sheriff says because the river's been so low, parts of the island that are normally underwater have been revealed. Box says that's made it a popular spot for all-terrain vehicles, and also made this gruesome find possible.

The island is located just south of the Mississippi River Bridge that connects Dyersburg and Caruthersville.

Copyright 2012 KFVS. All rights reserved.

  • Most Popular StoriesMost Popular Stories

  • The StormTeam Digital Doppler image will be updated approx. every 5 minutes.  This is a screen capture of what the StormTeam is looking at.  So from time to time, the image might be zoomed in on different
    The StormTeam Digital Doppler image will be updated approx. every 5 minutes. This is a screen capture of what the StormTeam is looking at. So from time to time, the image might be zoomed in on different
  • The Heartland NexRad image is updated approx. every 15 minutes. If you are using Internet Explorer press F5 to refresh your page.   Check out an animating version of Heartland NexRad.  The page is intended
    Check out an animating verison of Heartland NexRad. The page is intended for broadband users only. The Heartland NexRad image is updated approx. every 15 minutes. If you are using Internet Exlorer
  • The Midwest Radar animation will be updated approx. every 30 minutes. If you are using Internet Explorer press F5 to refresh your page.
    The Midwest Radar animation will be updated approx. every 30 minutes. If you are using Internet Exlorer press F5 to refresh your page.