More than seven months after human remains were discovered in the town of Richmond, authorities have still not released a positive identification or the cause of death.
They also have not explained why it is taking so long to answer those questions.
Speculation has run rampant in social media since Mother’s Day weekend in May when, according to the Shawano County Sheriff’s Department, a group of young adults discovered the remains along the south side of Peach Road near County Road MMM.
The only information released by officials so far is that the remains were of a female.
Authorities have not said how long they believe the body had been there or what condition the remains were in.
The remains were initially sent to the State Crime Lab in Madison but tests failed to produce a positive ID, according to Shawano County Sheriff Randy Wright.
“Because there was still some uncertainty, it was sent to another lab out of state,” Wright said in an interview this week. “We’re waiting to see if something more comes back from that lab before there’s anything else released.”
When information finally is released, it’s expected to come initially from the state Department of Criminal investigations, which is the lead agency in the investigation, with Shawano County authorities assisting.
“The DCI is leading. it. It’s been turned over to them,” Wright said.
The DCI has confirmed it is handling the case but has not released any other information.
“It’s been frustrating. It really has,” Wright said. “It’s frustrating that some people out there just don’t understand the complexity of this. I think it’s got to do with some of these CSI television programs, crime scene things where they condense two murders and a rape and a riot in a one-hour segment. It doesn’t happen that way.”
Wright would not respond to any speculation going on in social media.
“I’m the type of guy who is not going to release anything until we know for sure,” he said.
Wright said after the remains were found in May, the case was being treated as a homicide, but added that was standard procedure under the circumstances.
Tests up to now have also failed to determine a cause of death.
“That’s still part of what is being worked on,” Wright said.
Wright said he would like to provide some answers.
“I want to tell them something definite, but that’s what I want — something definite,” he said.
Wright had no estimate on when there might be more information forthcoming.
“I was told a month or so back that it was going to be shortly,” he said. “It hasn’t turned out to be that way.”
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