Skeletal remains recovered in Stuart on Southeast Riverside Drive

Will Greenlee, Treasure Coast Newspapers
Updated ·1 min read
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STUART — Construction workers excavating the ground Wednesday at a home on Southeast Riverside Drive discovered skeletal remains, and police are investigating, the Stuart police chief said.

Chief Joseph Tumminelli said police early Wednesday were called to the home in the 1400 block of Southeast Riverside Drive, which is north of Southeast Ocean Boulevard and east of the downtown area.

The remains, he said, appear to be human.

Tumminelli said construction work was being done to an existing home when the discovery was made.

Construction workers excavating the ground May 15, 2024, at a home on Southeast Riverside Drive in Stuart discovered human skeletal remains. Police are investigating, Police Chief Joseph Tumminelli said.
Construction workers excavating the ground May 15, 2024, at a home on Southeast Riverside Drive in Stuart discovered human skeletal remains. Police are investigating, Police Chief Joseph Tumminelli said.

At the site Thursday, police Lt. George McLain declined comment.

A Martin County Sheriff’s Office crime scene van was there Thursday as was a vehicle marked Florida Gulf Coast University College of Arts & Sciences Human Identity & Trauma Analysis and another with a forensic anthropology notation.

Tumminelli said Wednesday police are in the early stages of the investigation and must notify the Medical Examiner’s Office and “outside organizations.”

Yellow police tape blocked off the rear of the two-story waterfront home as a police vehicle was parked in the driveway.

Jane Hooks lives next door. She said her neighbors are building a large pool with a hot tub and a sunken fire pit in the back yard. She said digging activities relating to the pool were going on.

Tuminelli said police will research the ownership of the property and missing persons reports.

“This is going to go on for days,” Tuminelli said. “We just have to make sure that we're doing everything that we’re supposed to in this investigation.”

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Will Greenlee is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Will on X @OffTheBeatTweet or reach him by phone at 772-267-7926. E-mail him at will.greenlee@tcpalm.com.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Police investigate after skeletal remains found in Stuart