Fairview Police now think the bones recently discovered at Blue Lake Park may have been there since January, but otherwise have no update to an investigation into the remains found at the Metro-owned recreation area.
Det. Brad Robertson said a particular wreath found this week at the site was similar to one at the site in January.
"The remains may have just been left there since January and not fully removed by Metro when we dealt with it in January," Robertson said. He had no other update to his investigation, which is one of two into the remains at the site.
Earlier this week, Metro said it hadn't added any dirt to the pile at Blue Lake Park, and wasn't planning on removing the pile until the soil dries this summer.
Bones were discovered at the site in January, believed to be dug up by contractors excavating new gravesites at the Metro-owned pioneer cemeteries in the Portland region. The contractors dumped the excess dirt at Blue Lake Park.
When a former employee of the contractor shot video of bones at the site earlier this week, Fairview police opened a criminal investigation, with possible violations including abuse of a corpse and offensive littering. The Oregon Mortuary and Cemetery Board is also investigating the discovery of remains.
Michelle Gaines, the board's executive director, said the board conducts as many as 300 investigations in a typical year, many of which involve alleged inappropriate business behaviors by mortuaries and cemeteries. She declined to say how often the board investigates alleged mishandling of corpses, and wouldn't comment on the board's investigation into Metro.
Metro spokesman Jim Middaugh said the agency is cooperating with the investigations.