East County : Skeletal Remains Discovered by Hiker

A hiker found the skeletal remains of a male’s body Sunday evening in a rural area in the vicinity of Santa Ana Canyon Road and Gypsum Canyon Road, Orange County Sheriff’s Department spokesman said.

Sheriff’s Lt. Larry Richey said the “pretty badly decomposed” skeletal remains are of a male, about 5 feet 10 inches tall and between 15 and 35 years of age.

A crime scene team from the Sheriff-Coroner’s Department was working into the night Sunday at the location, a rural unincorporated area east of Anaheim Hills, Richey said. It was unknown how long the body had been there, he said.

It was not immediately known how the person died, but investigators were proceeding on the assumption of possible foul play, Richey said.

Richey said the body was apparently laying on the ground and not concealed when it was discovered. He declined to identify the hiker who found the remains.