Human remains discovered at Lake Powell earlier this month have been recovered and sent to the Utah State Medical Examiner’s Office for possible identification, according to the Kane County Sheriff’s Office in a report published August 26.
Kane County Sheriff’s Dispatch was notified on Friday, August 14, after a group aboard a houseboat discovered what appeared to be human remains in the Kane County portion of the reservoir. Investigators from the sheriff’s office and National Park Service rangers responded to the scene and collected the remains.
The remains were transported to the state medical examiner for an autopsy and possible identification. As of August 23, authorities had not released the identity of the person or additional information regarding the circumstances surrounding the death. The sheriff’s office has not disclosed a specific location for the discovery.
The discovery occurred while Lake Powell is experiencing historically low water levels. Authorities have not indicated if the declining reservoir levels played a role in the discovery of the remains.
In an August 20 statement, the sheriff’s office said the case remains under investigation in hopes of identifying the person to provide closure to the family.
The Kane County Sheriff’s Office stated that the National Park Service, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, and Utah State Medical Examiner’s Office are assisting with the investigation. No additional information was available as of August 23.
