Human Skull Among Bones Discovered by Fisherman at Pond’s Edge, Police Say: 'Disturbing'

A Utah fisherman found what appears to be a human skull, authorities said.

Shortly after 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 25, a man — later identified as Phillip Morfin — was fishing near a business park in West Valley City and alerted the police after spotting bones near the body of water, the West Valley City Police Department said in a post on X.

Responding officers confirmed the bones appeared to be human remains, Roxeanne Vainuku, the department's deputy director of communication, tells PEOPLE. She adds that the medical examiner's office was called "to come and collect those remains."

Morfin, who was fishing in a channel that spills into a larger pond, told Fox affiliate KSTU that he noticed an object in the mud approximately six feet from the water’s edge.

He initially thought he was looking at an animal skull, but he realized it was human when he turned it over with a fishing rod and saw the eye sockets, according to the outlet. 

“Two eye sockets and the teeth I saw — a human skull,” he told KSTU, adding that he saw other bones that appeared to be human, too. “It was pretty disturbing.”

Morfin did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

Vainuku confirms that other bones were also found on the shore, some of which were partially submerged in water. 

“We're waiting for the medical examiner's office to conduct tests to try to identify the remains,” says Vainuku, who explains that the police department is currently looking through missing persons reports and collaborating with neighboring departments. There are no unsolved homicides in the area. 

She notes that investigators will determine the victim's cause and manner of death, but it will take time. The victim has not been identified at this time.

The victim has not been identified at this time, but the discovery could indicate several things, Vainuku says.

“I know that we were dealing mainly with bones, so that could indicate time,” adds Vainuku, who says more will be clear after the official report comes back from the medical examiner. “It could indicate levels of exposure, it could indicate animals in the area having made contact with the bones.”

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Meanwhile, Morfin was shocked by his discovery.

“We have a missing person out here; we just don't know who it is, you know?" he told KSTU. "I don't know who it could be. I have no idea — I just found a skull."