Coroner: Black River skull appears to be medical specimen

An eerie discovery in the Black River likely has a benign explanation, according to Butler County Coroner Jim Akers. The skull found in the riverbed earlier this month is most likely a medical specimen, he said.

The skull was discovered Friday, Oct. 7, by a state Highway Patrol dive crew while they searched for evidence connected to an unrelated case from the Poplar Bluff Police Department.

There were no open investigations connected to the skull when it was found, law enforcement said at the time.

Law enforcement turned the item over to Akers, who released his initial findings Thursday, Oct. 13.

"The skull has been identified as human and appears to be a medical specimen used for educational purposes," Akers said.

Medical specimen skulls have specific identifying features, but those details cannot yet be shared, according to officials, on the chance the case becomes a criminal investigation.

No foul play is currently suspected.

"At this time, there's no homicide investigation. We don't suspect a homicide," Akers explained, adding, "Obviously, it's unusual."

He requested the help of a forensic anthropologist and a forensic odontologist, whose findings were consistent with a medical specimen. At this time, Akers is seeking a lab to attempt a DNA analysis.

Because of the bone's age and condition, analysis "will be a lengthy and very specialized process," he noted.

Lt. Josh Stewart of the Poplar Bluff Police Department confirmed there were no current cases pertaining to the skull. He was off duty when it was recovered, but arrived on the scene after a fellow officer notified him.

"I thought, 'You've got to be kidding me,'" he recalled. "It just seems like you never know what you're going to pull out of the Black River."