Homicide detectives have launched an investigation after human remains were found on a construction site in Santa Ana Wednesday morning.
The grim discovery was made in the 2000 block of West Fifth Street by crews working on the OC Streetcar Project, the county’s under-construction light rail line, according to the Santa Ana Police Department.
After coming across the bones, the workers showed it to the archaeologist assigned to the project, who confirmed the remains were human, police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said.
The expansive lot used to be the site of homes and then, later, a commercial property. It is unclear how long the bones have been there, leaving investigators with many unanswered questions.
“At this point, it’s a blank slate for the homicide detectives,” Bertagna told KTLA. “Was it a time from when there was a residence here, and somebody was buried here? Was it before that? Was it when it was a wreckage yard? Did somebody die and then, was there a homicide and somebody was buried here? Those are all questions they’re going to look into.”
In addition to police, the Orange County coroner’s office was dispatched to the scene to investigate.
No further details were immediately released.
