On October 3rd, 2015, 15 year-old Ethan Coleman and his friends, Tyler Zustiak, 14, Hunter Endicott, 15 and 15 year-old Matthew Teel, were fishing and camping in rural Cherokee County, when they discovered what appeared to be the remains of a human skull near the creek bank.  They immediately notified Ethan’s father, Cherokee County Attorney Nathan Coleman, who in turn contacted Sheriff David Groves.

After obtaining the remains, Sheriff Groves reached out to Dr. Michael Finnegan, who is a Forensic Anthropological consultant from Manhattan, Kansas, as well as a professor of anthropology at K-State.  Dr. Finnegan agreed to examine the bones and based on his examination, determined them to be likely from a 30-50 year old American Indian male, who died over 500 years ago.    

The remains have since been returned to the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and may be remanded to the Office of the State Archaeologist.

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