LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — On a construction site at the edge of the UK campus, it’s business as usual. Except, what’s become the usual business practice here is actually very unusual.
Human remains have been found at a construction site on Scott Street near the University of Kentucky's campus, confirmed by the UK Police Chief.
Remains were found Friday morning and construction on the site was halted. The Fayette County Coroner was called to the scene to investigate.
“This is the fourth time I’ve been called to (this) construction site on the UK campus beside the Reynolds Tobacco Warehouse,” said Fayette County Coroner Gary Ginn on Friday morning after this latest discovery.
Ginn said skeletal remains have been found each of the four times, and he wasn’t at all surprised to receive any of the four calls.
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Ginn says this location is believed to be an old burial site that existed before the Lexington Cemetery was founded.
“I wouldn’t be surprised to get another call later today,” he joked. “This used to be our city cemetery and there weren’t laws or regulations back then. We’re talking about the 1800s,” he explained.
The coroner said the bodies were intentionally and properly buried and due to the fact that proper records weren’t kept back then, he won’t be able to identify the remains. But he is certain of one thing.
“There’s no criminal intent or anything like that that’s here,” Ginn stated.
“Bill Meck said there’s no rain for a few days,” Ginn said when asked how soon another body could be located. He then revealed another of his findings here, which further leads him to believe that foul play is not to be suspected.
“I did find some fibers from the wood, and I did find some nails,” he said of the likelihood of wooden caskets having been used for burial.
