Woman's remains found in vacant Detroit backyard, police seeking ID

DETROIT (WJBK) - Detroit police are asking for the public's help after human remains were found on Detroit's west side.

According to Sgt. Shannon Jones, a group of lineworkers were putting up cable on April 10 in the 14000 block of Ward when they discovered what appeared to be a human skull in a vacant backyard. 

Police say the victim is a female, possibly African American, with an age range from 21-29 years old. She was tentatively 5'4", give or take 3 inches.

Jones says the victim has most likely been missing since 2017 and was fatally assaulted, but they are not certain if she was killed at the site. Police are not elaborating on the specifics of the cause of death at this time. 

Along with skeletal remains, police discovered a pair of True Religion jeans -- labeled as a size 32 waist, a black cloth belt, and blue leather women's Polo shoes, size 8. They also found a blue shirt but it was a ways away from the remains so they are not certain it belonged to the woman.

Police were able to recover about 85 percent of the remains. Jones says there is not one occupied home in the block where they found the bod, but vacant fields and burned dwellings.

Jones says police searched the database and found 85 women had been reported missing last year, but that number includes those police haven't made contact with and who may no longer be missing.

Police have submitted DNA records for comparison. They are asking anyone with information to Detroit police or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP.

Although they believe the woman may have been African American, they are encouraging anyone who knows of any missing person matching the description and time frame to call police.

Watch the full press conference on FOX 2 News Now below: