The Mesa County Coroner’s Office is narrowing in on the identity of a human head and hands found in a recently-sold residence in January, but it could still be months before an identity of deceased person is released.
“We have a good idea who it is,” Mesa County Coroner Dean Havlik said Tuesday.
An autopsy of the head and hands has been conducted.
The remains are currently undergoing DNA testing through the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, Havlik said. The Coroner’s Office has put a “rush” on the job, he said, but getting a positive identity could still take months.
To make the positive identification, the DNA from the remains is being compared to DNA in various databases, Havlik said.
“We’re optimistic, hopefully in the next couple months,” Havlik said, noting the process normally could take up to a year or more.