GERING - Law enforcement officials are investigating after human skeletal remains were found Friday on the north side of the Scotts Bluff National Monument property near Gering.

According to the Gering Police Department, officers were called to the area after someone walking along the north side of the monument discovered what appeared to be human bones. Officers confirmed the remains appeared to be human.

Multiple agencies assisted in a detailed search of the area Friday and Saturday, including the Gering Fire Department, Scotts Bluff County CERT, Scotts Bluff County Sheriff’s Office, Scottsbluff Police Department and the National Park Service. Two teams of cadaver dogs from Wyoming were also brought in to aid the search.

Police said they are working to identify a facility capable of conducting forensic examinations to determine details about the remains and their origin.

In a post early Saturday, the family of missing Moorcroft, Wyoming man Chance Englebert shared that they had been contacted by law enforcement in Scotts Bluff County about the discovery. The family emphasized there has been no positive identification and asked the public for patience as the investigation continues.

Englebert was last seen in Gering in July 2019, prompting years of searches and public appeals for information.

Authorities said the investigation into the discovery remains active, and no additional details have been released.