Bones found at Red Rock were human after all

Bones found last week by at least one climber at the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area were indeed human, the Clark County coroner's office announced Wednesday.

There was confusion about the remains because other bones were found in the same vicinity at the conservation area a few days earlier. Those bones were identified as animal, said a representative of the coroner's office who asked not to be identified because she didn't have the authority to be quoted .

The human bones, identified by police as a spine, were spotted about 2:30 p.m. Nov. 11 by at least one climber on a ledge at Black Velvet Canyon. On Tuesday, the coroner's office said the bones were animal but reversed that Wednesday. No cause of death or identity had been determined as of Wednesday.

The animal bones were found Nov. 7 on the ground in Black Velvet Canyon by a horseback rider. The man took the bones and didn't report his find to police until Nov. 11, leading to confusion about which find was which, the representative said.

Contact reporter Antonio Planas at aplanas@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4638.