A Florida homeowner, in the midst of renovating his property for rental, stumbled upon a chilling discovery on Wednesday evening. While tending to his backyard in Jacksonville, he unearthed human remains, with what appeared to be blackened toes protruding from the ground.
The homeowner, who wished to remain anonymous, was carrying out routine yard work when he partially uncovered the body. He immediately rushed indoors to alert a woman assisting with the home renovation, urging her to call 911.
The woman, who also chose not to be identified, recounted the harrowing experience. She described the sight of human feet sticking out of the ground, their darkened appearance likely a result of decomposition. “I just hope that everything gets solved,” she expressed, still visibly shaken by the incident.
Upon receiving the 911 call, a deputy from the Jacksonville County Sheriff’s Department arrived at the scene. The deputy’s incident report confirmed the homeowner’s account, noting the observation of “two feet sticking up out of the ground.”
The body was subsequently exhumed and transported to the Duval County Medical Examiner’s Office. As of Friday, the remains had not been identified, and the cause and manner of death remained undetermined.
In the aftermath of the grim discovery, a forensic team set up blue tents in the yard, spending hours sifting through the soil in search of potential clues. The investigation is ongoing.
The property owner expressed his bewilderment and sympathy regarding the situation. He stated that he had no knowledge of the deceased individual’s identity or how the body ended up on his property. “I want to offer my condolences to the young person or to the person they found at my property,” he said. “No family at all should have to go through that at all. That’s the first thing I want to say.”