Police found human skeletal remains and clothing late Tuesday afternoon in a wooded area in Fort Smith, authorities said.
Fort Smith police received a notification about the remains near Riverfront Drive and found them after a brief search, according to a news release by the department.
The identity of the remains, as well as cause and time of death, haven’t yet been determined, the release states.
Police spokesman Aric Mitchell said authorities believe the remains are from an adult. Riverfront Drive runs along the Arkansas River, and the remains were so far into the woods off-road vehicles were used to access the site, he said.
Processing of the scene did not begin until Wednesday morning because it was too dark Tuesday when the remains were located, according to authorities.
Mitchell said the site is not near a residential area but is close to a place where homeless people gather.
He said it is too early to determine if the death is suspicious, especially given the serious decomposition of the remains.