Calif. Woman Goes to Bury Pet, Finds Something Grim

A California woman went to bury her dead pet and instead dug up a mystery—literally. The Modesto woman began digging in her backyard on Saturday afternoon when she hit on something that seemed to be human bones. The Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department verified the remains were indeed human, and detective subsequently exhumed what KCRA describes as a "decomposing body." Fox40 reports it's believed the remains have been there for several months at a minimum.

Law enforcement says the woman had a connection to the house but hadn't been a resident for long. An identification and cause of death are pending. The Modesto Bee reports the property holds a small secondary residence in the back, and the tenant, who has been there a year, said he was unaware of the remains. (This buried cat was returned to its owner—alive.)