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Human Skull Found Near Hollywood Sign
A pair of hikers found a human skull in Bronson Canyon Saturday afternoon, authorities said.ABC-7 reports that around 2 p.m. authorities received a call that remains had been found just off the Brush Canyon Trail in Griffith Park, a popular route that leads up to the Hollywood sign.
Police and investigators from the coroner's office arrived on the scene, and rangers found the skull, about 400 feet off the trail. Authorities said it appeared to have been there for a few years. Detectives used a rope to rappel down 100 yards to get to the skull.
"Right now we're at the very early stages of trying to determine who this may be, and collect the human remains so the coroner's office can take a look at it," Det. Larry Burcher told ABC.
According to KTLA, the search for more body parts or bones will continue Sunday, and will include the usage of "cadaver dogs."
Cassanda Ortez, who regularly frequents the trails, told ABC, "Usually I'm scared of mountain lions, coyotes, rattlesnakes, stuff we normally see, but not human skulls and stuff like that. It's really scary."
Hikers who were around the area on Saturday said that the canyon would be a pretty good place to dump a body if you had to.
"It's pretty rugged and a lot of shrubberies and bush," hiker Paula Mindays told ABC. "You know, once you get off the beaten trail anything could be happening there."
Other murderers would agree. Las year, Gabriel Campos-Martinez was convicted of murdering and dismembering his boyfriend Hervey Coronado Medellin in 2012, spreading his remains (including his severed head) throughout Griffith Park and Bronson Canyon.