Union County’s Major Crime Team investigating case; authorities won’t confirm or deny rumor that a head in a backpack was also found

ELGIN – A human hand was found in a pond south of Elgin Friday evening, sparking a major crime investigation.

The hand has been sent to the State Medical Examiner’s Office in

Clackamas for analysis, a press release from the Union County District

Attorney’s Office said.

Union County’s Major Crime Team has been investigating the case

throughout the weekend to try and determine the manner and cause of

death.

Crime scene investigators are reported to have drained the pond after the hand was found. There is an unconfirmed rumor that a head in a backpack was also found at the site after the pond was drained. Law enforcement authorities would not confirm or deny this morning whether this is true.

The pond the hand was found in was on Boise Cascade land near Pumpkin Ridge Road.

The discovery of the hand was reported to the Union County Sheriff’s Department around 7:40 p.m. Friday.

The crime team is comprised of the Union County Sheriff’s Department, the La Grande Police Department, the Elgin Police Department, the Union County District Attorney’s office and the Oregon State Police.

Those also assisting with investigation and crime scene analysis include Union County Search and Rescue, the Elgin and Imbler fire departments and Wallowa County Search and Rescue.