YOUNGSTOWN, OH — Police in Youngstown are investigating after a man looking for scrap said he found what appeared to be a human skull in a wooded area. Officers were called after the discovery near Pasadena Avenue, and investigators later said they found a skull along with two other bones.

The finding was reported Monday afternoon, according to details from a police report reviewed by WFMJ. Authorities have not identified the remains, and they have not said how long the bones may have been in the wooded area.

How the discovery unfolded near Pasadena Avenue

The man told investigators he was searching for scrap around 2:30 p.m. Monday when he came across the remains. The area he described was near Pasadena Avenue in Youngstown, where police later focused their response.

Law enforcement was initially called Tuesday to the intersection of Erie and Chalmers streets for a report of a man who said he had found human remains. Officers then went to the area of Pasadena Avenue and Gaither Avenue, where they reportedly recovered the skull and the two additional bones.

Those details suggest the discovery was made in a wooded stretch that was not being used as a formal public site. Police have not said whether the bones were visible from the roadway or whether any search continued after the initial response.

What investigators have confirmed so far

At this stage, police have only confirmed that human remains were found and that an investigation is underway. The report reviewed by WFMJ says officers located a skull and two other bones at the scene.

Authorities have not released any information about the possible identity of the person or people the remains belonged to. They also have not said whether the bones were recent or old, leaving open questions about how long they had been there before the discovery.

The lack of identification is common early in an investigation involving remains, especially when officers are first determining whether the scene contains a complete set of bones or only scattered pieces. In this case, Youngstown police have not provided a timeline beyond the man’s account of finding the skull Monday afternoon.

No word yet on whether foul play is suspected

Police have not said whether they believe foul play may be involved. That leaves the cause and circumstances of the death unresolved as investigators continue to examine the scene and the remains.

When remains are discovered in a wooded area, investigators often need time to determine whether the case involves a criminal act, an accident, or a death that happened long before the bones were found. Youngstown police have not offered any theory publicly, and no suspect has been named.

For now, the investigation appears to be focused on establishing basic facts: who the remains belong to, how they got to the site, and whether there is any evidence tying the discovery to a broader crime. Officials have not announced any additional findings.

Why the location matters to the investigation

The Pasadena Avenue area may help investigators narrow down where the remains came from or whether the bones were moved. The report places the discovery near Pasadena Avenue and Gaither Avenue, while the initial call came from the Erie and Chalmers street intersection.

That detail matters because investigators often use the exact location of a discovery to map the scene, search nearby ground, and look for additional evidence. A wooded area can also make it harder to estimate how long remains have been exposed to weather or wildlife.

Police have not said whether the area has been searched before or whether anyone had previously reported suspicious activity there. For now, the wooded location is one of the few concrete clues officials have shared publicly.

Questions that remain after the initial police response

Several major questions remain unanswered. Police have not identified the person whose remains were found, and they have not said whether the bones belong to one individual or more than one person.

They also have not provided any estimate of time since death. Without that, it is impossible to tell whether the remains are connected to a recent incident or a much older case that has only now come to light.

What is clear is that a routine search for scrap turned into a police investigation with human remains at the center. The case remains active, and Youngstown police have not released further details beyond the discovery itself.