LANCASTER, CA — Los Angeles County sheriff’s investigators found two sets of human remains buried on a Lancaster property while searching for a missing person, turning the case into an active homicide investigation. Deputies were on the property near 50th Street East and Avenue F shortly after 8 a.m. Tuesday as part of the missing persons search.
Lt. Chris Oakley of the Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Bureau said the discovery changed the direction of the investigation immediately. Authorities have not said whether either set of remains belongs to the person or people deputies were originally looking for.
Cadaver dogs helped lead deputies across a debris-strewn property
The search site covered a large property described by the Sheriff’s Department as cluttered with debris, vehicles and mobile homes. Investigators worked the area with the help of cadaver dogs before uncovering the buried remains.
The property was being examined as part of an effort tied to a missing persons case, but investigators have not released the circumstances that brought them there. Sheriff’s officials also have not said how long the remains may have been buried or whether the property was already known to detectives before Tuesday’s search.
The scene involved multiple agencies and specialists, including deputies, homicide investigators, the crime lab and personnel from the coroner’s office.
Homicide Bureau says no arrests have been made
Oakley said the discovery triggered an active homicide investigation, but no arrests have been made. Detectives were expected to remain at the property as they continued to process the scene and collect evidence.
Investigators said they would likely stay through the night while they documented the area and gathered material that could help explain what happened on the property. Authorities have not identified any suspects or announced whether they believe more than one person was involved.
Medical examiner will identify the remains before names are released
The Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office will work to identify the remains before any victim names are made public. Until that process is complete, officials are not saying whose remains were found or whether the search team was looking for a specific missing person.
That identification step is expected to be central to the next phase of the case. Detectives have not released additional details about the missing persons investigation that led them to the Lancaster property, and they have not described the deaths as accidental or natural.
Sheriff’s Department gives few details about the original missing persons case
Officials have kept quiet about the missing persons investigation that prompted Tuesday’s search. The Sheriff’s Department did not provide the name of the missing person, the length of the investigation or any explanation of what evidence pointed deputies to the property.
Authorities also have not said whether the remains were found in a specific structure or open area on the property. For now, the focus remains on identifying the two sets of remains and piecing together the circumstances that led investigators to the site.
Anyone with information is asked to call homicide investigators
The Sheriff’s Department is asking anyone with information to contact its Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Investigators say tips could help them understand who was buried on the property and how the case connects to the missing persons inquiry.
As of Tuesday, officials had not released additional details about the deaths or said when more information might be available. The investigation remains active as detectives and forensic personnel continue their work in Lancaster.
