Human Jawbone’S Age Will Be Determined

Sat., Oct. 7, 2000

A Spokane pathologist will attempt to determine the age of a lower jaw bone found Tuesday by hunters in the Coeur d’Alene National Forest, about six miles west of Shoshone County, Kootenai County Sheriff Rocky Watson said.

A wet T-shirt or sweater was also found about 100 feet away from the jawbone. Deputies are considering the material as evidence.

The human remains have only been in the area for about a year, Watson said.

Dental work ruled out possibilities the remains belonged to Tim Morgan or Ed Morrett, whose airplane went down in eastern Kootenai County in June 1999. Ruled out also was James Edward Anderson, a missing Alzheimer’s patient since December 1999.

Detectives are treating the evidence as a homicide.

The case was assigned to one primary investigator. Kootenai County Search and Rescue teams, as well as a cadaver dog, will continue to search the area.

“We’re just being cautious,” Watson said.

Watson said detectives hope to have news from the pathologist by next week.

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