Big Sky Times

On May 10, a man in Butte reportedly uncovered what he believes to be a piece of human jawbone, according to 8 KPAX.

A man contacted the Butte Police Department to report that he had discovered what could potentially be a human jawbone. He said he discovered it in the alley behind the 800 block of West Quartz Street. Officers arrived at the scene about 4 p.m. that day and were able to recover the bone the man had reported.

On May 10 and 11, specially trained search dogs from Helena and Bozeman conducted an exhaustive search of the region but did not locate any additional remains.

The bone has been taken to the Montana State Crime Lab in Missoula for examination and verification, as the police say they have a strong suspicion that it belonged to a human being. According to the statement that was provided by the police, further information will be made available to the general public in the near future. Anyone who may have information is urged to contact the Butte-Silver Bow Law Enforcement Department at 406-497-1120.

"In crime laboratories, scientists analyze evidence collected from crime scenes, suspects and victims," the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) says on its website. "They may analyze anything from DNA or fingerprints to human remains or suspicious substances. Due to the increasing reliance on scientific methodologies in criminal investigations, many laboratories have faced mounting workloads. NIJ has committed to helping crime laboratories increase their capacity by streamlining their processes and providing up-to-date training to keep up with technological capabilities in solving crime. NIJ also supports accessible resources for crime laboratory personnel, such as web-based databases."