OCSO: Remains Found In Harrah Tentatively Identified

A human skull found on Tuesday was tentatively identified as a man who ran from Harrah police in December 2013, the Oklahoma County sheriff's office reported Wednesday.

The remains were tentatively identified as Zachary Lang, Oklahoma County sheriff's office spokesman Mark Opgrande said.

Lang was wanted on various warrants in December 2013.

Items at the scene linked the remains to Lang but DNA tests will be needed to make a conclusive identification. 

The skull and a boot were discovered in a remote area near of Harrah Road and SE 15 Street in Harrah.

The witness told News 9 he was near his property by a pond when he spotted something from the corner of his eye on Tuesday. He said a white skull was only a few yards away from him.

Once he realized this could be a human skull, investigators came in and confirmed it.

Opgrande said crews went out on foot where they could, but the terrain is extremely rough. ATV’s were launched, and some crews went out on horses or up in a helicopter.

The search started at the location where the skull was found.

"We had to kind of fan out from where the first part was found to try to determine a location where the person originally sat,” Opgrande said.

More bones were discovered Tuesday afternoon, including a pelvis and some leg bones. Opgrande confirmed more parts were found on Wednesday.

Police reports indicate that Lang’s family had not heard from him since he ran into the woods on Dec. 20, 2013. It was unusual that they did not hear from him because he needed medicine to survive.

Reports also indicate Lang’s sister tried searching for him in the same area on the 20000 block of SE 15 Street in Harrah that winter. She said smelled a dead body and saw some bones, but had to leave when aggressive dogs started chasing her. 

Lang had children and an aunt told police even though he was on the run, he had never gone more than week without seeing his children.