The Colorado Bureau of Investigation sent agents to the area of Middle Mountain Road northeast of Vallecito Reservoir this week to investigate the discovery of human skeletal remains.

The La Plata County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from the CBI, according to a news release from the state law enforcement agency.

The remains were discovered by hikers who contacted law enforcement, according to the release.

CBI agents arrived at the scene Monday morning and continued to investigate midweek this week, said Susan Medina, spokeswoman with CBI.

She said the remains appear to be those of an adult, but little else is known.

“There was some speculation that maybe it could be related to the Dylan Redwine case, but they’re definitely adult remains,” Medina said in a brief statement to The Durango Herald.

She was referring to the case of 13-year-old Dylan Redwine who went missing in November 2012 while staying with his father, Mark Redwine, during a court-ordered visit.

Partial remains belonging to Dylan were found in June 2013 and November 2015 on Middle Mountain northeast of Vallecito. A jury convicted the boy’s father of second-degree murder and child abuse resulting in death. He was sentenced in October 2021 to 48 years in prison.

La Plata County Coroner Jann Smith said authorities believe the skeletal remains belong to those of an adult male. It appears the remains have been there for about a year.

Officials have an ideawhose remains they are, but no positive identification had been made as of Thursday, Smith said. It is possible the case will end up being handled by the Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office, she said.

The Coroner’s Office is working with an archaeologist at Fort Lewis College to help analyze the remains.

“We’re still kind of in the middle of guessing about cause and who he is and all that,” Smith said.

shane@durangoherald.com