CENTRALIA, IL — Authorities with the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office are confirming the discovery of human remains Monday off Jolliff Bridge Road and Linn Street in Centralia. According to Clinton County Sheriff’s Detective Todd Timmerman, an employee with the Clinton County Jail was out hunting shed antlers Monday afternoon when he and his daughter came across a human skull. They contacted the sheriff’s office and officials arrived on the scene just before 2:30. Officials searched the area and found more than 30 human bones before dark fell. They returned Tuesday morning and completed their search Tuesday afternoon. The remains were then handed over to Illinois State Police Crime Scene Investigators for testing. Timmerman says an investigation into the remains is ongoing.

The area has been the focus of numerous missing person cases, including the 1991 disappearance of 15-year-old Joshua Mahaffey of Centralia. Over the years, witnesses have said Josh was tortured and murdered at Devil’s Playground off Jolliff Bridge Road.

In April 2011, 75-year-old Vincent Wesselmann was last seen possibly walking near Breese Grain Company at N 1st Street and N Walnut Street. Vincent has not been seen since.

That July, 28-year-old Jared Hanna, of Jerseyville, Illinois, went missing. Jared was last seen the morning of July 2, 2011, at his home. His truck was found abandoned and out of gas on July 4th, 2011 on Jolliff Bridge Road. Jared was reported to have been seen around 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, July 3, 2011, about two miles from where his truck was parked. Jared left behind a young daughter.

Timmerman says no other information is being released at this time but he will keep us informed as the case moves forward and when the remains are identified.