Human skull found near Brighton

BIG COTTONWOOD CANYON — A team of seven cadaver dogs and their handlers searched a mountainside on Brighton Ski Resort property Tuesday, looking for clues that might help them identify a human skull found in the area.

On Friday, a hiker discovered the skull near the Millicent Ski Lift, about halfway up. The Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office announced the discovery Tuesday.

"It does have modern dental work … relatively modern fillings," said sheriff's Lt. Don Hutson.

Cadaver dogs from the Salt Lake and Carbon counties sheriff's offices were brought to the mountain Tuesday to look for other remains or possible evidence. Hutson said some items were collected Friday, but he declined to say what they were, noting that detectives did not know if they were connected to the skull.

"It's hard to say if they're linked," he said.

The skull was taken to the State Medical Examiner's Office, where a forensics pathologist was expected to examine it this week. If nothing else, Hutson said, the dental records possibly could be used to identify the person.

There have not been any recent reports or outstanding cases of people missing there, Hutson said.

"This does not jump out and say, 'This is the person we've been looking for.' We don't have any current missing-person cases where they were last seen in this area," Hutson said.

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