Human remains found at Renton construction site

Renton police believe that a set of human remains discovered at a construction site this week belong to a person whose body was legally buried in a coffin on the site.

Police have spent much of today excavating the site at 2211 Edmonds Ave. N.E. after a land developer reported finding a human jaw bone on Tuesday, said police spokeswoman Penny Bartley. Police have since found other bones, likely belonging to the same person, she said.

Police say there was nothing to indicate a crime.

Investigators found metal poles and other hardware commonly found on a coffin and contacted state archaeology experts for help to determine the age of the hardware, Bartley said. A wooden coffin wasn't found, but Bartley said it is likely that it had deteriorated.

Before 1943, residents could bury loved ones on their property, Bartley said. Police believe that's how the remains ended up on the property. Bartley said that a home that had been on the property since the 1940s was recently demolished. The property was purchased from a private trust a year ago and appears to have been vacant for a period of time, she said.

Bartley described the coffin hardware as "fairly ornate."

"We're working with the Department of Archaeological and History Preservation and hopefully they will be able to confirm to us that these are parts to a coffin and date it for us," she said.

Police are asking for the public's help. Anyone with information regarding the property is asked to contact Renton Police at 425-430-7500.

Sonia Krishnan: 206-515-5546 or skrishnan@seattletimes.com