Bones found in Waddy, Ky. identified as missing man from Colorado Springs

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Authorities have identified the human remains found in Shelby County in February of 2017.

A Waddy man found the remains and called the Sheriff’s Office after his dog brought a human skull to the driveway. Authorities discovered more human remains after searching a wooded area near his property.

During a news conference on Sept. 6, the Shelby County Sheriff's Office identified the remains as 29-year-old Timothy J. Stites from Colorado Springs, Colorado. Stites was in the storage unit construction business.

His sister filed a missing persons report in 2016, after she hadn't heard from him for a month.

Authorities say Stites had family in Colorado and Georgia, but no obvious connection to Kentucky in general or Shelby County in particular, but he did travel often for his job. They say they are trying to determine why he was in Shelby County.

The sheriff's office says Stites' family has been informed of the identification. Authorities say the identification "closed the door" on their search for their loved one, but now the door opens to finding out what happened to him.

A cause of death has not been determined, and there is no evidence of any "an trauma at all." They added that, right now, the case is considered a death investigation, although it could change to a criminal investigation when additional information is discovered.

The identification was made after the remains were sent to both the University of Tennessee and the University of Northern Texas.

The Shelby County Judge said the investigation is continuing, and a photo of the Stites will be released soon.

Anyone with any information on this case is asked to call the Shelby County Sheriff's Office at (502) 633-4324.

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