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A New York man unearthed what he believes are the remains of his long-lost father in the basement of his home Tuesday night, authorities said.

Michael Carroll, 57, and his two adult sons were excavating the basement of the Lake Grove, New York, home when they discovered what appeared to be human remains. They called police to the house about 2 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Suffolk County police said.

Carroll, who owns the house, told police he thought they belonged to his father, George Carroll, who disappeared in 1961. The four Caroll children never got a straight answer from their mother, Dorothy Carroll, about what happened to their father, police said. She died in 1998.

George and Dorothy Carroll, owned the home in 1957. Carroll and his three siblings lived in the house with their parents.

DNA tests will determine if the bones are those of George Carroll, whose children have been searching for him over the years, police said.

An anthropologist will be examining the remains, Suffolk County Police said.