Seattle Police were investigating suspected human remains found in a recycling bin near 21st and Pine Saturday evening. According to SPD, a homeowner called 911 around 4 PM to report finding what he thought were human remains in his bin. The remains were found wrapped in garbage bags, though an SPD spokesperson said he was unsure what made the homeowner suspicious of the items.

UPDATE (4/11): Seattle Police said they were prepared to announce “significant developments” in the case Monday evening along with developments in a Renton missing person case. A Swedish Medical Center nurse who lives in Renton was reported missing on Saturday.

Upon arriving at the scene officers verified the items were “likely human remains,” according to SPD spokesperson Patrick Michaud. Investigators canvassed the neighborhood looking for more possible body parts but had not turned up anything in the hours after the initial discovery. The homeowner told police he put out his recycling bin on Friday and called 911 as soon as he found the remains.

Neighbors told CHS the evidence may have included a human foot, but SPD says investigators had not identified what was found by the time the scene was cleared around 9 PM. King County Medical Examiners took custody of the remains for further investigation. SPD is investigating the case as a homicide, though it was unclear on Saturday where that homicide may have taken place.

“It looks like it was dumped, so it doesn’t appear to have been in this neighborhood,” Michaud said. SPD offered no information on the age or sex of the possible victim.



Multiple units responded to the Central District house along with SPD’s “mobile precinct” vehicle. Detectives taped off an area around garbage and recycling cans outside the home.

While the find may be grisly, it would not be the first time human remains were found along city streets. In 2012 body parts were found in Eastlake belonging to a murder victim whose torso was discovered nearly a year earlier.

SPD is asking anyone with information about the case to call its Violent Crimes tip line at (206) 233-5000.