FBI Investigating After Hunters Find Human Remains in North Carolina Forest

An agency spokesperson said it's unknown how long the remains have been in the woods

The FBI announced Monday that human remains have been recovered in North Carolina’s Pisgah National Forest.

In a news release, the agency said it was contacted by the Madison County Sheriff’s Office after hunters discovered the remains on Saturday.

Both the FBI and the sheriff’s office recovered the remains from a "remote wooded area" off Stackhouse Road in Marshall.

“The FBI’s Evidence Response Team meticulously processed the area to preserve the remains and uncover all available evidence,” per the news release. “The remains will be sent to the FBI Laboratory at Quantico, Virginia. It is too early in the investigation to know the identity of the person or their cause of death.”

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The agency also noted in its statement that the U.S. Forest Service, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and the Walnut Fire Department helped in the recovery of the remains.

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“The FBI is leading the investigation, as the agency has jurisdiction on federally owned land,” per the agency.

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According to the agency, no additional information will be released until a positive identification is made.

The Pisgah National Forest, which spans over 500,000 acres, is home to "whitewater rivers, waterfalls and hundreds of miles of trails," according to the Forest Service.

Related: Children Uncover Human Remains While Exploring During Summer Camp: 'That Is a Human Skull'

Shelley Lynch, the FBI's Charlotte division spokesperson, said, per the Asheville Citizen-Times, that it's uncertain how long the remains have been in the woods.

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