Still no ID on old skull

BEND, Ore. (AP) -- A skull discovered in the wilderness 15 miles northwest of Sisters has been identified as that of a middle-aged-to-elderly black man, Jefferson County Sheriff Jack Jones said.

The skull was discovered by a hiker on September 15.

The Oregon Medical Examiner's Office could not obtain DNA from the skull, but was able to identify it as that of an older black male based on its structure, Jones said.

Jones said bones found near the skull are believed to be those of animals.

Jones said his agency is not aware of any missing person that matches the description of the man.

The skull has been sent to a reconstructionist for further identification. It is unknown how long the skull sat in the wilderness.

"If we could even put it in a five-year span, we could check missing people in that time frame," Jones said.