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Human Remains Found In Backyard Of Santa Ana Home

SANTA ANA (CBSLA.com) — Human remains have been found in the backyard of a Santa Ana home, according to authorities.

The home's backyard was being renovated when the discovery was made Sunday around 2:30 p.m. The home is located in the 3500 block of N. Hesperian.

Cpl. Anthony Bertagna, of the Santa Ana Police department, said the homeowners -- who bought the lot in 2006 after the home burned down -- are not part of the investigation. Bertagna said the find included "a skull and some additional human bones. They're still partially buried so the scene is frozen and the anthropologist can get here in the morning."

Police are reportedly talking to the previous owners who were at the location for 20 years. The anthropologist will be able to determine how long the remains have been at the scene.

Amanda Burden, reporting for CBS2 and KCAL9, spoke to neighbors who were in disbelief.

Alma Torres said, "It's scary. Just finding something like that and wondering who it could be. Poor family who are missing a person like that."

A homeowner in the neighborhood for 23 years, Torres also said she feels sorry for the current homeowners. "It's a peaceful neighborhood. I know the recent people who live there. They are good people and they're fixing their house and it's kinda bad they found something like that in their backyard."

Bertagna said investigators will now go back and try to determine if that 2006 fire was arson and if there were any missing persons reports from that time possibly connected to the location.

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