WAYNE COUNTY — Wayne County officials are investigating the discovery of skeletal remains in a wooded rural area of the county.

Officials with the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department and the Wayne County Coroner’s Office were reportedly called to the area on Thursday.

Wayne County Coroner David Pugh said he was “notified at 8:44 a.m. today (Thursday) that skeleton remains had been found.”

Pugh said the location of the discovery was in “a wooded area in north Wayne County.”

Pugh said Deputy Coroner Mike Williams responded to the scene of the discovery and was working with the Sheriff’s Department on the case.

Calls to Wayne County Sheriff John Farrior were not returned by press time Thursday night.

However, Sheriff’s Department officials said a press release concerning the investigation would not be available until Monday.

Pugh said Thursday that his office “was still investigating it.”

“They are still investigating the matter. ... It appears to be a long process,” the coroner said. “We don’t know much right now.

“They are still at the scene,” Pugh said after 5 p.m. Thursday. “Yes, it’s believed to be human remains. However, we don’t know anything else. ... We will not know any of the other details until everything has been collected.”

No other details were available at press time.

“Hopefully, in the next couple of days we will be able to give some information,” the coroner said. “Right now, we are still gathering the evidence.”