Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office is providing an update to the public regarding the unidentified human remains that were recovered from the Eel River on Jun. 25, 2025, near the Williams Grove Day Use area in Myers Flat.

The remains were submitted to the Chico State Human Identification Laboratory for examination and analysis. A simplified summary of the findings is outlined below.

The remains were determined to be of a male, believed to middle aged or older, with an estimated height of 5-foot 5-inches to 5-foot 11-inches tall. The examination revealed very poor oral health, with evidence of at least 19 teeth were lost prior to death. The remaining teeth showed signs of dental restorations, indicating the individual received dental care at some point in their life.

Degenerative changes were observed in the skeletal remains, suggesting the individual may have experienced chronic pain of difficulty with mobility.  One possible explanation for these changes could be rheumatoid arthritis, though this cannot be confirmed.  No major trauma was identified on the recovered remains; however, this does not exclude the possibility of soft tissue injuries that would not be detectable through skeletal analysis.

At this time, the cause and manner of death remain undetermined. The Individual has not yet been positively identified.

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate this case and is seeking assistance from the public.  Anyone with information regarding a missing person who may match this description, or who has information that may assist in this investigation, is encouraged to contact the Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539 and reference case number 202502721.

Additional updates will be released as information becomes available.