KANE COUNTY — A hiker stumbled upon apparent human skeletal remains and scattered clothing while hiking along the state border near Lake Powell Sunday morning.
At approximately 10:30 a.m., Kane County Sheriff’s Office received a call from an individual who had located what appeared to be human skeletal remains while hiking in an area southwest of Highway 89, less than a mile north of the Utah state line, according to a news release by Kane County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Alan Alldredge.
Investigators, including Kane County deputies, detectives and a medical investigator, located numerous bones and several items of clothing believed to have belonged to the deceased individual scattered in a 150 yard area.
A driver’s license and credit card belonging to Michael Theo Schimmel from Page, Arizona, was found near the clothing.
The remains may have been in the area for 2 years or more, according to the news release.
The skeletal remains and clothing were collected and transported to the state Medical Examiner’s Office in Salt Lake City for identification and to attempt to determine the cause of death.
Investigators are still collecting evidence and following up on leads in Page and the surrounding area. Dental records have been sent to the medical examiner to aid in verification of the remains as belonging to Schimmel.
Kane County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone who knew Schimmel or may have information that could help in the ongoing investigation to contact the office at 435-644-4916 or 435-644-2349.
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