Digging around their property over the weekend, some Vernon residents uncovered a shocking discovery.

Mike Mortensen and his roommate dug up human remains Sunday, July 28, at their Okanagan Landing Road home.

The first large bone they uncovered was thought to be an animal bone. But once they started digging around more and found ribs, a pelvis and a skull they realized their discovery was much more serious.

"It's been there for a very long time," Mortensen describes of the old bones missing any hair or clothing.

He's also suspicious of the cause of death, as the leg bone they found was cut - similar to that he has seen of butchered animal bones.

"Personally I think murder because of the leg being cut."

While he admits he is not a forensic expert, he did some further investigation into the size of the bones and suspects them to be of an adolescent or small woman.

The bones were also buried quite shallow, about 2.5 feet.

Mortensen has lived at the property for five years, leasing it from the owner, whom he emailed about the discovery but hasn't heard back from yet.

He says the homes in the area were built in the 1950s and suggests the body would have been placed there after excavation of the area to build the home.

The RCMP, who were called to the property Sunday evening, say investigators consulted with the BC Coroners Service and the bones are believed to be historical human remains.  As a result police are no longer involved.

The Okanagan Indian Band suspects they are ancestral remains.

"We expect the coroner will determine them to be," said Nick Nilsen, communications manager, in a request to remove the photo of the bones, "as it is considered disrespectful to publish photos of remains of ancestors."

The Morning Star apologizes for initially publishing the photo and has removed it from online publication.

Mortensen was advised to tarp off the area until the coroner could come investigate.

"Anyone who discovers bones that do not obviously belong to an animal should contact police and await further direction," advises Vernon North Okanagan RCMP media relations officer Const. Chris Terleski. "If you are not on your own property and out in the wilderness or rural area, take good notes of the location and record GPS coordinates if you can.  Again, If there is any doubt at all as to the origin of the bones, call police and we will assess the next steps."

The Morning Star has reached out to the coroner for further details and will update when they become available.