BRIGHAM CITY, Utah — A construction crew working along a Brigham City roadway on Wednesday discovered a bag of human remains in what they thought was simply trash.
The Union Pacific crew was near 2600 West Highway 13 at 2 p.m. when they found the black garbage bag. While taking a look at the bag, the crew found hair and bones inside.
Brigham City Police Department officers who responded to the scene later confirmed that the remains in the bag were human. The department is now investigating the unidentified remains as a homicide.
“This a extremely sad and unusual case. I want to make sure we conduct a very thorough investigation and get justice for this victim," said Brigham City Police Chief Chad Reyes.
The department was questioned about the remains possibly being those of Matthew Johnson, the National Guardsman killed while sleeping in his Cottonwood Heights home last year. Johnson's wife, Jennifer Gledhill, has been charged with his murder, with prosecutors claiming she dumped evidence of the crime in Davis County.
Police said they had been in touch with the Cottonwood Heights Police Department after the bag was found Wednesday, but added that they felt confident that the remains were not those of Johnson.
Officials believe the trash bag had been in the area for an extended amount of time, between several months and a couple years.
“It’s actually shocking," said Joey Sandoval who lived near where the remains were found. "It’s really shocking to know that there’s a dead body across the street that’s probably been there for years.”
An autopsy is scheduled to be conducted Thursday afternoon at the Utah State Medical Examiner’s Office in Taylorsville.
