Human skull found in Sumter; sheriff's office launches investigation, seeks information from public

Sumter County Sheriff's Office has launched an investigation after recovering a human skull days before Christmas.

On Dec. 21, 2023, hunters contacted the sheriff’s office after discovering  a “white round object that appeared to be a human skull” in the St. Paul's Church Road and Economy Lane area, according to Mark Bordeaux, public information officer for the sheriff’s office. The scene was secured by deputies, and the skull was recovered by crime scene investigators to be submitted to the coroner’s office; no other human remains were found in the area.

A forensic examination revealed the skull was that of an African American who was over 35 years old. After reviewing missing persons cases in the county, it was indicated that none matched the criteria, Bordeaux said.

Experts think the skull is over a decade old, Bordeaux said.

“It is very sobering to discover human remains,” said Sheriff Anthony Dennis. “The person to whom the skull belongs deserves respect and our very best efforts to identify them and bring them justice.”

The investigation is ongoing, and more information will be released as it becomes available.

Anyone with information that may be helpful in the investigation is urged to contact the sheriff’s office at (803) 436-2000, submit information at p3tips.com or on the P3 Tips app for mobile devices or call 911.