Media report below says police originally thought these remains belonged to an 85yo man who is one of their MPs on Namus. They also said the remains would take up to a year to identify and here we are 3.5 years later. I notice the Namus case was created in May 2018 - just over a year after the remains were found. Perhaps LE created the Namus record once they received confirmation that these remains were not the elderly gentleman?
23 March 2017 (one day after remains located)
www.news-star.com/news/20170323/update-skeletal-remains-found-in-pott-county-may-solve-1988-case
A landowner searching for deer shed antlers on a vast and densely-wooded property in the Harjo area found a
partial human skull Wednesday and deputies believe the discovery could help them solve a missing persons case from 1988.
A landowner searching for deer shed antlers on a vast and densely-wooded property in the Harjo area found a partial human skull Wednesday and deputies believe the discovery could help them solve a missing persons case from 1988.
Pottawatomie County Sheriff Mike Booth said deputies responded to the scene Wednesday afternoon and called in anthropologists from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Crews then combed the area and
found more human bones and even a pair of boots, Booth said.
The sheriff, who said it could take up to a year to make a positive identification of the remains, said deputies do believe they could be those of a man who was reported missing nearly 30 years ago.
At the onset of Wednesday’s discovery, deputies began looking into old cases and contacted former Sheriff Paul Abel, who confirmed a missing persons search had commenced in that area back in the 1980s. A News-Star archive story from 1988 also confirmed a man’s disappearance.
On July 9, 1988, Kenneth Lester Spencer, who was listed in the News-Star story as being in his early 80s at that time, was reported missing. A massive search commenced on areas of his 170-acre property, but he was never found.
The story indicated Spencer was last seen on July 6, 1988 when he went out to check on a horse. Then-Sheriff Abel indicated they didn’t suspect foul play and felt that Spencer was possibly incapacitated.
On the first day alone, about 16 deputies conducted a ground search and both a plane and helicopter helped from above.
Spencer was never found and after seven years, he was declared dead, Booth said.
Based on a property search, Booth said the land where the remains were found was owned by Spencer at one time — they were discovered about one-fourth of a mile from where the house is located.
Despite many things pointing to an ID, the medical examiner will be tasked with making a positive identification.
“We don’t know for certain if this is our missing person,” Booth said, adding they do need to find some of Spencer’s relatives in hopes of using DNA to help make a positive match.
And while there is no apparent file on Spencer’s case at the sheriff’s office, deputies also received some help from an unexpected place Wednesday that could be a critical piece to this investigative puzzle.
Career Deputy Gary Thomas, who died last year, worked at the sheriff’s office back in 1988. Booth said Undersheriff Travis Palmer had a hunch and contacted Thomas’ wife and they discovered Thomas had kept a copy of the unsolved case report, likely with the hope that one day the case could be solved.
“Gary is still helping to solve cases at the sheriff’s office,” Booth said, adding the copy of his original report will be useful as their investigation continues.
Anthropologists finished all their work at the site on Wednesday, Booth said, adding it was difficult to access the densely-wooded area filled with briers and other foliage growth.
Anyone with information on this case is asked to call 405-275-2526.
