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Gwinnett County mystery: Human skull found in woods near homes, strip malls

GWINNETT COUNTY — Gwinnett police have a big mystery on their hands: a human skull found in the woods.

Through thick brush and trees, Gwinnett homicide detectives and crime scene investigators scoured the ground trying to find any answers to what happened to the 18-to-30-year-old woman, whose skull was found last weekend.

At times, detectives were on their hands and knees, brushing back leaves and needles. They also used a forensic light to look for bones.

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“You can almost get a florescent glow coming back to you when you hit bone or any kind of biological,” said Gwinnett CSI Kea Jimenez.

Ground zero for the search is in a heavily wooded area just off Hamilton Mill Road and Sardis Church Road, near Interstate 85. Strip malls and houses surround the 13-acre area, but once inside the woods, you can’t see far at all.

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Police have no idea if the woman committed suicide, overdosed or was murdered. Or if this is even the original place she died.

“Investigators are going to send the skull off to try and get an identification from any teeth that were located,” said Gwinnett Cpl. Collin Flynn.

But detectives say they really need an idea of who she is to match any records to the teeth. That’s why they are asking for the public’s help as their search for answers goes on.

The medical examiner said the skull could have been there in the woods for up to two years.

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