Local

Investigators puzzled by remains found in Forsyth County

Forsyth County investigators expect to be out through the weekend in a wooded area of Bluegrass Valley Parkway, looking for more skeletal remains.

A landscaper walking through the area Friday afternoon discovered human bones and called the Sheriff's Department.

Sheriff Ted Paxton said it's a mystery as to who the remains belong to, or even how long they have been in the area.

The wooded area is just off Georgia 400 and McFarland Road, just inside Forsyth County near the Fulton County line.

Authorities estimate the bones could have been on the land for eight to 10 years, or more. Besides the bones, investigators also found some clothes scattered through the area and are assuming they are linked to the remains.

"No doubt there are human remains," said Sheriff Ted Paxton.

Channel 2 Action News reporter Tony Thomas said he watched investigators and a forensic anthropologist search with flashlights on their hands and knees Friday night to find some of the bones.

Paxton said the bones are scattered across a very wide area, likely spread out by the environment and wild animals.

"I would speculate we are going to be here a couple of days, because we have a large area so far that we have identified where there are remains scattered," Paxton said. "From the skeletal remains it's obvious they have been here for quite some time."

Paxton said investigators will be back out at the site first thing Saturday morning to comb the area very closely and hopefully find all the bones.

"We, right now, can't speculate what the manner of death. We will obviously be looking back over our missing persons cases, but, right now, nothing comes to mind in this immediate vicinity," Paxton said.

Forsyth County authorities said they will be checking with the nearby North Fulton communities of Alpharetta and Johns Creek to see if any missing persons reports match.