20 skulls found on N.M. property may be linked to missing woman

Evidence of arsenic galore arsenic 20 quality skulls was located successful New Mexico spot aft a witnesser gave a thrust to had an “unsettling encounter” with a antheral helium offered a ride.

Lea County Sheriff’s Office said portion the witnesser drove Cecil Villanueva to his destination past week, the antheral “made alarming statements and discarded objects” that appeared to beryllium quality bones from the 2 bags her had with him. The operator alerted authorities.

“Subsequent searches adjacent a convenience store and Villanueva’s reported determination revealed bony fragments aboriginal confirmed by a pathologist to beryllium human,” constabulary said successful a statement.

Villanueva had been staying astatine a spot “associated with rumors of quality remains,” according to police.

Investigators judge the lawsuit could beryllium connected to the 2019 disappearance of Jal, N.M. nonmigratory Angela McManes, who lived adjacent the tract wherever the remains were discovered. They privation to cognize if determination was immoderate transportation betwixt Villanueva and the missing woman.

McManes’s household started a Facebook leafage to assistance find the 43-year-old parent of 3 aft reporting her missing successful June 2019.

Police said astatine the clip her children became acrophobic erstwhile they were incapable to scope their mom. When they went to McManes’ home, they discovered items including her lone bra, cellphone, diabetic medication, glasses, cigarettes “and different idiosyncratic items” she would’ve been improbable to permission behind.

Several weeks passed before she was reported missing, constabulary told New Mexico’s Hobbs News Sun successful 2020. Authorities said Mcmanes was successful mediocre wellness and sometimes stayed with friends oregon relatives.