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Cadaver Dog Searches Santa Ana Home Where Bones Were Found

SANTA ANA (CBSLA.com) — A cadaver dog was sent to search a Santa Ana home Thursday as police investigated a report that human remains were buried in the backyard about three decades ago.

Authorities were tipped off Wednesday night that a human body had been buried in the backyard of a home in the 600 block of South Center Street in the 1980s, Santa Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said.

When investigators went to the home, the owner – who has lived there about 16 years – said he anticipated a visit from detectives someday because workers a decade earlier had found two bones on his property, Bertagna said. The homeowner did not explain why he didn't alert authorities right away.

"He said he hired some guys to clear out the yard and they found two bones and a knife and the bones appeared to be possibly human," Bertagna said. "They discarded the bones and the workers showed (the property owner) where they found the bones, and then they filled in the yard with six inches of cement."

Based on the tip and the discussion with the homeowner, police brought in a cadaver dog, which indicated there may be human remains at a spot where the resident said the bones were found, Bertagna said.

Workers put holes in the cement to let it air out and will bring the cadaver dog back this afternoon to see if they get another hit, Bertagna said. If so, then police will excavate the yard to look for more clues, the corporal added.

Bertagna said investigators are looking into the previous residents and if there were any missing kids.

CBS2's Michele Gile spoke to the homeowners who felt unsettled even if the human remains might be decades old.

"I just heard that there was some incident and someone got shot and they just buried the body you know," said a woman who lived in the home.

(©2016 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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