Skull, other human remains found on Cachagua Road; separate Monterey discoveries

Deputies confirmed human remains in multiple, separate locations across unincorporated Monterey County, touching off active death investigations that could affect families with missing relatives and residents near the scenes.

On Jan. 29 deputies were dispatched at about 6:45 p.m. to a rural stretch along Cachagua Road in Carmel Valley after what authorities described as "people walking in the area" reported finding what appeared to be a human skull and other remains. The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office secured the location and transferred the scene to the Sheriff’s Office Coroner Division. Monterey County investigators said, "Over the course of several days, the scene was processed, and additional human remains were located and collected." Authorities also said it was "unclear if those remains are those of one person."

The coroner’s office is preparing a forensic examination to assist identification. The sheriff’s office stated, "This process will include DNA analysis and comparison with missing and unidentified persons records through the California Department of Justice." Those steps mean DNA profiling, comparison against state databases, and traditional missing-person checks will guide investigators as they attempt to name the decedent or decedents and determine how long the remains may have been at the site.

A separate response occurred on Feb. 4 when deputies answered a report around 10:40 a.m. in an agricultural field north of Highway 183 near McFadden Road in unincorporated Salinas. Deputies found what was described as "the body of a man." The Monterey County Sheriff’s Coroner Unit is working to identify him and to determine the cause of death. Both investigations remain active and authorities have not released additional details.

These discoveries follow an earlier, related find reported Dec. 29, 2025 on Viejo Road, underscoring a recent cluster of cases that the county coroner and investigative teams are evaluating. For community members, even limited public information can be unsettling; investigators often ask neighbors, landowners, and recreational users to review personal records and report any relevant missing-person cases or unusual activity they may recall.

Practical steps for readers: if you have information about people who went missing in the areas around Cachagua Road, Viejo Road, Highway 183, or McFadden Road, contact the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office nonemergency line or the Coroner Unit to offer tips. Expect forensic updates to come slowly - DNA comparisons and coroner determinations can take weeks to months - but they are the most direct route to identifications and closure.

As investigators process lab results and follow leads, the county will likely provide updates. For families with missing loved ones, the coming DNA matches and coroner findings will determine whether these discoveries resolve open cases or add new ones to Monterey County’s active investigations.