The San Mateo County coroner's office has asked an anthropologist
and a dentist to examine a human skull found Wednesday in a
wilderness area near Pescadero, about two miles from the coast.
A man walking through the wilderness to study animal tracks found
the unburied skull about 5:30 p.m. off Cloverdale Road, two-tenths
of a mile north of Gazos Creek Road, said San Mateo County sheriff's
Lt. Trisha Sanchez.
There were no other bones found at the site, but San Mateo County
acting coroner Robert Foucrault said he is assembling a team of
volunteers to search the area this weekend. The anthropologist and
dentist will also look at the skull this weekend to determine age,
gender and whether the teeth match those of anyone reported
missing.
Los Gatos police said they do not believe the skull could be that
of Jeanine Harms. The 42-year-old Los Gatos woman vanished July 27
after a date at a Campbell brewery, and Sgt. Tim Morgan said such
extreme decomposition could not take place in seven months.
Foucrault said he couldn't estimate the age of the skull, but
said it had modern-looking fillings and it was decomposed to the
point that it was only bone.
There also didn't appear to be evidence that the person was shot
in the head or hit with a blunt object, Foucrault said.
If dental records don't help identify the skull, the coroner's
office will take DNA samples and try to find a match that way,
Foucrault said.