Human Remains Found In Rural Lincoln County Near Wellston

The discovery of a human skull in a rural area just southwest of Wellston, Oklahoma initiated a search of the area near 960 East Road and County Road 3310, Thursday.

Thursday, April 9th 2015, 6:16 pm

By: News 9


The discovery of a human skull in a rural area just southwest of Wellston, Oklahoma initiated a search of the area near 960 East Road and County Road 3310, Thursday.

By Thursday afternoon, investigators found a shallow grave of human remains.

Investigators opened the case on April 5th when they were called to the scene because a hunter, who owned the land, reported finding what appeared to be a human skull.

The Medical Examiner confirmed the findings and the Lincoln County Sheriff Charlie Dougherty launched a ground search of the area to collect additional evidence,

"It's early in the investigation but it does appear to be a male, " Dougherty said, " it [skull] was laying on top of the ground...there was some dirt embedded on but it has rained every other night so we have a lot of things to consider."

A history of criminal activity in the area is also a consideration.

In October 2012, the Lincoln County Sheriff's office found a victim less than a mile away from the new scene. The victim was hogtied and shot execution style.

The murder was linked to drug activity by a known Mexican gang in Oklahoma City.

10/24/12 Related Story: Body Found On Rural Road In Lincoln County

Not long after that incident, investigators busted a major marijuana growing operation about a half mile off, the investigators seized more than 700 pounds of harvested marijuana and said then it resembled the work of Mexican cartels.

11/20/12 Related Story: Two Men, Teen Arrested After Lincoln County Marijuana Bust

Now that a human's remains have been found in the same area, only a few years later, Sheriff Dougherty said it's certainly suspicious.

"We are not going to rule anything out," Dougherty said, "We are going to treat it as a homicide until we know otherwise."

Sheriff Dougherty, his team, and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation's Crime Scene Unit are expected to be in the area collecting evidence for several days.

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