WICHITA, Kansas -- An unexpected call provided a big break in the investigation of a human skull found in late January near Cheney.
"We've been contacted by the previous landowner," said Capt. Greg Pollock, Sedgwick Co. Sheriff's Office Investigator.
Investigators say the mystery of the skull actually dates back for 1949 in what was apparently a Halloween prank in the Northeast Kansas town of Circleville.
The skull was left on the family's doorstep and later passed down for generations, eventually taken to the home in Cheney.
"They were getting ready to move in 2010 and the family wanted to get rid of it so the homeowner went into the backyard, dug a hole and buried the skull and thought she'd never hear from it again," said Capt. Pollock.
The family said they'd always wondered about the skull. Back in the 1970's, they took it to a KU history museum.
"They said they tried to give it to them, they weren't interested in taking it and didn't know what to do with it," said Capt. Pollock.
At that time, they were told that the skull was of Asian descent and a souvenir from a WWII veteran.
But local authorities say they're confident it belongs to an African American female, 30-50 years of age. And without any cold cases that match either description, they say this case is closed for Sedgwick County. It will now move to Jackson County.
"There's just too many details, such a unique set of circumstances that were related to how the skull was buried in backyard and so many family members that were aware of the facts," said Capt. Pollock.
