Homicide Investigation Underway After Part Of Human Skull Found On Griffith Park Trail

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A homicide investigation was underway Sunday after parts of a human skull, thought to be several years old, were found by hikers on a trail in Griffith Park Saturday.

The coroner's office was summoned a little after 3 p.m. Saturday, after the grisly find was made on the Brush Canyon Trail near Bronson Canyon, authorities said.

KCAL9's Jennifer Kastner reported the hikers found the top of the skull to the nose.

Parts of the park were expected to be closed on Sunday for the investigation.

It's not the first time skeletal remains have been found in this area of the park.

Kastner reported that a human skull was also found here in 2012. That finding later led to a homicide arrest.

CBS2's Greg Mills reported on Sunday that, thus far, investigators have found no other skeletal remains with the partial skull finding.

The partial skull, he reported, was found not far from the Hollywood sign.

The area was filled with hikers Sunday and most oblivious to the finding of the skull.

"No, we didn't know that," said hiker Jurgen Hohls.

He also encountered a hiker group from Ohio who also didn't know about the grisly find.

"It's a little nerve-wracking actually," said Katie Bobbitt, "being a young woman."

"Wow, that's scary," said Cecilia Qyam, "And what happened actually?"

While reporting from the scene, Weird Al Yankovic walked passed Mills and said, "Let me guess, you're either here for the solstice or the skull?"