March 28th, 2011
Unidentified skull found
in Blanco River

by SEAN KIMMONS

A human skull recently discovered along the Blanco River near San Marcos has been sent off for testing to identify its origin, authorities say.

Two men found the skull March 19 while they were kayaking and stopped to fish along the river just east of Interstate 35 and north of Uhland Road next to a farmer’s field, Hays County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Deputy Laurie Bain said.

No other bones were discovered after a lengthy search of the area. The skull is currently being tested at the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office, Bain said. Authorities do not know the sex of the person to whom the skull belonged and could not speculate on if it was part of the remains of a local missing person.

“We really don’t know anything at this point,” she said. “There are cold cases all over the U.S.”

On Nov. 14, 2004, Kyle resident Laurie Pineda, 24, was swept into the river after trying to drive across the river at a low-water crossing on Post Road, a few miles upriver from where the skull was located.

Pineda’s Buick sedan was swept away by the river’s current and a passenger was rescued. Pineda is presumed to have drowned but her body was not located after an extensive search.