Human skull taken from burial site in Southern Utah prompts investigation; $3,000 reward offered

State officials are offering a $3,000 reward after investigators discovered that a human skull was stolen from an ancient burial site in Southern Utah, an act authorities called both illegal and disrespectful.

In January 2025, investigators from the Attorney General’s Office assigned to the Trust Lands Administration became aware of the incident after viewing social media, prompting a search of a site near Kanab, according to a press release issued Monday by the administration.

State archaeologists later confirmed that a human skull had been removed from the protected location. Officials say the burial site is legally protected, and interference with any human remains is a criminal offense.

“The theft of human remains from a burial site is a crime and a violation of human dignity,” Mich