PASCO, Wash. (AP) - The discovery of an apparent piece of human
scalp has puzzled police knocking on doors to try to determine the
source.
"At this point it appears to be human," police Capt. James
Raymond said Tuesday. "We're taking a leap that the person it
belongs to probably is not alive."
Eriberta Salinas said her 4-month-old puppy Clifford brought
home the apparent piece of scalp with reddish hair on Sunday from a
back yard in the neighborhood.
Police went door to door in the neighborhood in this central
Washington town for about five hours Monday to ask neighbors if
they had seen any red-haired strangers in the area lately.
Investigators initially thought the scalp might have been taken
in the recent car prowl and theft of a kit containing body parts
for training cadaver dogs in nearby Kennewick, but that was later
ruled out, police said.
The apparent piece of scalp has been sent to a crime laboratory
for analysis.
"Someone out there is probably not living and so that's really
what the priority is: Where is this person?" Raymond said.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)