BRISTOL, Va. — Human remains — a skull and a “couple of extremity parts” — were found last Wednesday afternoon in a trash-filled drainage ditch below the cul-de-sac on Walling Road in Bristol, Virginia, according to Police Capt. Maynard Ratcliff.

“It appears that it’s been there for some time,” Ratcliff said, adding that it was impossible to say how long without further analysis.

He also stressed that the cause of death is still a mystery.

Walling Road is just off of Old Abingdon Highway and runs beside Interstate 81, which borders its north side. To the south, there’s a steep slope leading to a wooded area that contains the drainage ditch.

Ratliff said his team got a call at 4:15 p.m. from a man who found the remains when he was walking in those woods.

At 5:45 p.m., a fat green rope snaked from the guard rail along the shoulder down into the drainage ditch, where officers could be seen moving between the trees.

“That’s what they’ll do for some time, until they’re satisfied that there’s ... nothing else to be found,” he said.

Ratliff added that the remains will be sent to the medical examiner in Roanoke. Finding someone in such a state of decay is “very uncommon here in Bristol,” he added.