Skull found 6 years ago by kids in Colorado finally ID’d — as mystery surrounds man’s death

A human skull missing part of its jaw found six years ago by a group of kids in Colorado has been positively identified by authorities, a sheriff’s office said Thursday.

The skull belonged to David Michael Crady, who was born in October 1955, though mystery surrounds his death and how the human remains ended up in Lawson, Colorado near a power pole.

The eerie discovery was initially made in May 2018 when local children found the cranium and nearby tooth fragment, the Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. The skull was missing its lower jaw, but was otherwise undamaged, officials said.

A forensic anthropologist examined the skull weeks after the find and determined it came from a man with European ancestry and found evidence of trauma.

Investigators estimated Crady was dead at least four months, but more likely a year or longer.

The skull was sent to the University of North Texas for DNA extraction that was then entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Person Systems, authorities said.

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation used advanced genealogy techniques in 2023 and found a DNA match for the remains.

Police found possible family members who had fallen out of touch with Crady and asked a relative to submit a DNA sample that confirmed the man’s identity with a 99.99% accuracy rate, the sheriff’s office said.

“We deeply appreciate the efforts and collaboration of the University of North Texas, CBI, and our forensic experts,” Sheriff Matthew Harris said in a statement. “This identification will hopefully provide some closure for Mr. Crady’s family.”

The sheriff’s office is continuing its investigation into Crady’s death.