Human remains have been found during a search for an Irish man who has been missing in Jacksonville, Florida.
The unidentified remains were found in a wooded area near Jacksonville Airport where John had last been seen, according to the local sheriff's office.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office have confirmed to Belfast Live they have found what they believe to be ‘partial human remains’ as well as pieces of clothing in the area.
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John McNamee, 47, from Tyrone, was reported missing in the Jacksonville area on 26 May, with his family growing increasingly concerned for his whereabouts and had travelled to the US to help search for him.
Members of John’s family are currently in Florida and it is believed it was their own search party who first came across the remains and pieces of clothing. The local sheriff’s office were then called to assist, with its Homicide and Crime Scene units attending.
Police say the remains have now been transferred to a medical examiner’s office for for further examination and identification. According to the Sheriff’s Office the discovery is being treated as an ‘undetermined death’.
"On Saturday, July 9, 2022, a private search was organized by the family of recently reported missing individual. The planned search was scheduled to be in a section of woods in the 1300 block of Airport Road," a spokesperson for the sheriff's office said.
"The missing person, John McNamee, was reported missing in May of 2022. Representatives from JSO’s Missing Persons Unit were on site during the search at the invitation of the McNamee family.
"During today’s search, a member located pieces of clothing and what appeared to be human remains. At the conclusion of the search, investigators were only able to locate partial remains. These apparent remains have been sent to the Medical Examiner’s Office for further examination on identification."
John first moved to Florida twelve years ago, and his uncle, also called John McNamee, told Belfast Live it was ‘totally out of character’ for him to go missing.
The family had been told by police in Jacksonville that their enquiries were coming to an end due to a lack of leads as to where John might be.
“It’s totally out of character for him. He had been ringing home three or four times a week and he just lives for his two kids,” John said.
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