Utah Offers $3,000 Reward in Theft of Human Skull From Ancient Burial Near Kanab

Overview

• The investigation began in January after a Facebook photo of a person posing with human remains led experts to Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration property east of Kanab.
• Archaeologists visiting the burial site, documented in the 1990s, found the skull had been removed, and officials have not determined whether other items were taken or how old the remains are.
• Trust officials are withholding photos and the precise location to discourage further damage while a formal redocumentation of the site is conducted.
• The Utah Attorney General’s Office is collecting tips at 801-538-5113 and aginvestcomplaints@agutah.gov and will honor requests to remain anonymous.
• Authorities say the act appears malicious and note broader regional damage to sacred sites, citing a recent petroglyph case that led to nearly $15,000 in fines, restitution, and a written apology to stakeholder tribes.