Bones discovery becomes murder investigation
Police have launched a murder investigation following the discovery of bones in a home in South Australia’s mid-north.
The partial skeleton was discovered in a plastic tub inside a Terowie home by officers conducting a routine firearms search yesterday.
Detective Superintendent Des Bray from the Major Crime Branch said it was now a murder investigation.
"We're satisfied that the victim was murdered and met a violent death," he said.
"It wasn't a full skeleton and part of the body’s missing.
“I'm not prepared to say what parts of the skeleton we have recovered and what is still outstanding."
The bones have been taken to Adelaide for examination to help determine the age of the bones and the age and sex of the person.
“We’re hoping in due course that examination will identify the sex and age of the person which will then put us in a better position to identify who the victim might have been,” Det Supt Bray said.
“We are satisfied the victim was murdered and met a violent death, but again, as to exactly how that occurred we are not in a position to say at this time.”
Police said the current owner purchased the home five years ago, but the previous owner has since died and much of their property had been left at the home at the time of sale.
An initial study has shown the bones are not of Aboriginal origin from the pre-settlement or early settler periods.
But Det Supt Bray said the bones had previously been buried.
Officers have been searching the rear garden of the property to see if they had been there at some point.
Yesterday, police arrested and charged a 25-year-old man for not reporting a death.
Det Supt Bray said the arrested man was not cooperating with police at this stage.
He appeared in court this afternoon and was remanded in custody.
