Authorities in New Mexico made a disturbing discovery when they found as many as 20 human skulls in a home in Jal. The investigation began after a resident reported an unsettling encounter when offering a ride to a man named Cecil Villanueva. The resident claimed that Villanueva made alarming statements and threw items from his vehicle, some of which appeared to be human bones. Police searched the area near a convenience store and found bone fragments that were later confirmed to be human by a pathologist.
Following the discovery of the bone fragments, authorities executed a search warrant at the home and found additional bone fragments, including part of a skull and jawbone. A subsequent search of the house three days later resulted in the discovery of 10-20 human skulls. The skulls were transported to the Medical Investigator’s Office in Albuquerque for identification. The case is closely tied to the disappearance of 43-year-old Angela McManes, who was last seen in May 2019. Her last known address was in the area of Villanueva’s residence.
Authorities are working diligently to determine the connection between the human remains found in the home and McManes, as well as any other possible victims. There is an ongoing investigation to determine if there was any foul play associated with the bones and whether there are additional victims. Undersheriff Michael Walker revealed that investigators believe the skulls could have been purchased online over the course of several years. Villanueva, the man associated with the home where the skulls were found, has not been charged in the case but was in custody at the Lea County Detention Center for an unrelated misdemeanor charge of criminal trespass.
The investigation into the human skulls found in the New Mexico home began after a resident reported an unsettling encounter with a man named Cecil Villanueva. The resident claimed that Villanueva made alarming statements and tossed items from his vehicle, some of which were suspected to be human bones. Subsequent searches near a convenience store and at the residence resulted in the discovery of bone fragments that were confirmed to be human, including part of a skull and jawbone. A second search of the home found 10-20 human skulls, leading authorities to the Medical Investigator’s Office in Albuquerque for identification.
The case is closely linked to the disappearance of Angela McManes, who was last seen in 2019 and resided in the same area as Villanueva. Authorities are working to establish a connection between the human remains found in the home and McManes, as well as any other potential victims. The investigation is ongoing to determine if there was any foul play involved with the bones and if there are additional victims. While Villanueva has not been charged in relation to the human skulls discovered in the home, he was already in custody for an unrelated misdemeanor charge of criminal trespass. Investigators suspect that the skulls could have been acquired online over several years.
The discovery of human skulls in a New Mexico home has prompted a thorough investigation into their origins and any potential connection to missing persons, including Angela McManes. Authorities were alerted to the presence of the skulls after a resident reported an unsettling encounter with Cecil Villanueva, who tossed items believed to be human bones from his vehicle. Following searches near a convenience store and at the residence, bone fragments, including part of a skull and jawbone, were found and confirmed to be human. A subsequent search of the home yielded 10-20 human skulls, prompting further investigation.
The case remains closely tied to the disappearance of Angela McManes, who was last seen in 2019 and lived in the same area as Villanueva. Law enforcement officials are actively working to establish a link between the human remains discovered in the home and McManes, as well as any other potential victims. Investigations are ongoing to determine if there was any criminal activity related to the bones and if additional victims are involved. While Villanueva has not been charged in connection with the human skulls found in his home, he was already in police custody for an unrelated misdemeanor charge. Authorities believe the skulls may have been obtained online over a period of several years.
