In a chilling revelation, a skull discovered by a 13-year-old boy in a Pennsylvania pond two years ago has been identified as the remains of a man who had attempted to murder his wife over two decades ago. The boy, Dylan Bond, had found the skull while searching for frogs in April 2022. The skull was subsequently sent to Mercyhurst University for examination.
The Berks County District Attorney’s Office announced on Wednesday that the remains were those of Roger Hart, a resident of Pottstown. Hart had allegedly tried to murder his wife in April 2004 and had been missing since then. His car was found near the pond shortly after his disappearance, with his wallet and keys still inside, but there was no trace of Hart himself.
The skull was determined by Mercyhurst University to be male and to have been submerged in the pond for over a decade. The Pennsylvania State Police and the FBI conducted advanced DNA testing on the skull, which led to the identification of Hart.
However, the cause of Hart’s death remains unknown due to the condition of the skull and the absence of other skeletal remains. The discovery of the skull was made by Bond near his aunt and uncle’s residence two years ago.
Recalling the incident, Bond told ABC 6, “I came across something on my toe and I looked down and I couldn’t see it. But I scooped it up with my stick, and at first, I thought it was a turtle.” He expressed his shock at the realization of what he had found, saying, “I was freaked out … I’m only here for two days. I didn’t think I was going to come across a human skull.”