A human skull was removed from a burial site earlier this year, and state officials now want the public’s help finding the person responsible.
“The theft of human remains from a burial site is a crime and a violation of human dignity,” Michelle McConkie, executive director of the Trust Lands Administration, said in a news release Monday. “This act not only breaks the law — it is disrespectful to those who lived here long before us and the scientific integrity of Utah’s archaeological record.”
Investigators from Utah’s Attorney General’s Office learned of the incident from a social media post in January 2025, according to the news release. A person posted a photo with the skull on Facebook, and the photo helped officials identify the area where the remains were taken, said Joel Boomgarden, lead archaeologist with the Trust Lands Administration.
Boomgarden and his team of archaeologists went to the site they suspected and confirmed the incident took place at a burial site that dates back to AD 240, said Boomgarden. They then turned the investigation over to law enforcement, he added.
Archaeologists had known about this site since the 1990s. But this fall, archaeologists and a forensics team redocumented the entire site, which includes the burial ground, rock art and other artifacts, Boomgarden said.
The closest tribe to the area is the Kaibab Band of Paiutes, and Boomgarden said he hopes to work with the tribe to return the remains. He said the state has done some initial outreach, but not spoken to the tribe. Tribal Chairman Roland Maldonado said he has not been contacted about the issue.
To read Brooke Larsen's full report visit sltrib.com.
This article is published through the Utah News Collaborative, a partnership of news organizations in Utah that aims to inform readers across the state.