JAL, N.M. – Investigators found evidence from 10 to 20 human skulls at a property near in far southeast New Mexico.

Lea County Sheriff Corey Hilton says his team sent those skull fragments off to be analyzed. While one person connected to this case is behind bars, the sheriff wants the community to be patient, and wait for the truth to be revealed.

“It could be a day, it could be a week, it could be several months,” said Hilton. “We’ll just wait till they give us a word of what they found. I know our viewers are concerned, but I can tell you, we don’t have a serial killer walking around.” 

According to the sheriff’s office, investigators discovered bone fragments, including portions of a skull and jawbone, while investigating a property in early November.

Fragments is the key word.

“We’re not talking about 10 or 20 intact, fully together skulls. These are pieces, pieces of who the forensic anthropologist is estimating between 10 and 20 people,” said Lea County Sheriff Corey Hilton. 

Hilton says the Office of the Medical Investigator in Albuquerque is analyzing the evidence. They’re working to potentially identify any victims, and to see if one of them is Angela McManes who was last seen in 2019 near the property.

“That’s our focus, is her whereabouts. Investigators have worked tirelessly on this. We follow leads out of state and state, and we will not leave one rock unturned until we get an answer,” said Hilton. 

While there are no active suspects, 28-year-old Cecil Villaneuva, is at the center of this case.

He was reportedly staying at the property where the skulls were found when a driver who gave Villanueva a ride reported him for making alarming statements, and throwing what appeared to be human bones out a car window.

“Numerous people in Jal and including the police department known this guy possessed human bones,” Hilton said. 

But that’s not enough to make him a suspect in this case.

“One of my chief deputies looked it up online, and you can buy bones offline, skulls offline,” said Hilton. 

The sheriff says that means he has to wait until medical investigators finish their job.

“We’re really speaking blindly until we get their report,” said Hilton. 

Hilton confirmed Villaneuva is behind bars for an unrelated charge to this case. 

While his office is still waiting for that OMI report, he is asking anyone with information about this case, or any other missing people they don’t know about, to give the Lea County Sheriff’s Office a call.