On January 21st, 2024, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to a report of possible human remains located near the Knott Landfill.
According to DCSO, the reporting party had been walking a number of dogs in a field across 27th Street from the Knott Landfill when one of the dogs returned with what initially appeared to be a portion of a human foot.
Deputies responded to the location and secured the item which was determined to indeed be a portion of a human foot. Investigators contacted numerous agencies to assist with the peculiar case. The State of Oregon Medical Examiner’s Office, Oregon State Police Forensic Anthropology Unit, Deschutes County Medical Examiner’s Office, and the Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office all assisted with helping identify how the human remains could end up in a vacant field near the landfill.
Investigators have determined the partial remains are not suspicious in nature and more likely than not is a result of accidental improper disposal. It is with a high degree of confidence the remains are a result of a medical procedure (an amputation).
