After a human skull was found in a Pitcairn home, neighbors recall an unsolved case

A mystery is unfolding in Pitcairn after what appears to be a human skull was found at a home there.

The house on Seventh Street is in the process of being renovated. One of the crew members said when they started working in the basement on Wednesday, they stumbled upon what appeared to be a human skull.

 "We did not expect this. It was very strange," neighbor Theo MacConnell said. 

When MacConnell heard sirens and saw the flashing lights of police cars rush down his typically quiet Pitcairn street Wednesday evening, he wondered what was going on. When MacConnell found out why, he was not only shocked, but alarmed. 

"There were families there who probably had no idea, so, yeah, go with that, think about that," MacConnell said. 

Tragedy struck home's former occupants 

As MacConnell and several of his other neighbors reflect on the discovery, he says they can't help but think of the family who used to live in the home on Seventh Street. 

Charles Beltz, who lived there with his wife, vanished while on a hunting trip nearly 20 years ago. Beltz never returned home and was reported missing two days later. He has never been found.

Tragedy struck the family again when the couple's son died by suicide.

While authorities have not made a connection to Beltz's disappearance, MacConnell feels it's a viable theory. 

"He went missing and they found the truck. So did they find the body, did they bring the head back as a tribute? Why would they treat it with such irreverence?"

County police investigating

Detectives with the Allegheny County police are working with the medical examiner's office on confirmation and identification.

Neighbors say they hope authorities can bring closure to this person's family and they can finally rest in peace. 

"The biggest curiosity is where's the rest of the body? Is that yet to be discovered?" MacConnell said.