Technique Change for FBI Search for Remains in Linden

LINDEN, CA—On the one-month anniversary of excavation beginning on a rural agricultural parcel in San Joaquin County where cattle often graze, FBI personnel and technical experts altered the excavation technique employed to thoroughly excavate an old, obsolete well to locate possible homicide victim remains. Excavation reached a depth of approximately 86 feet late Thursday, but remains have yet to be found. The collaborative team will continue work until the well is fully excavated, ensuring thorough examination of the old, hand-dug well that has been filled for more than 25 years.

The clay and sandstone-laden native soil surrounding the well provided the greatest challenge for the team and led to a change in technique. Excavation of a platform of the cement-like native soil around the well was abandoned to expedite efforts. Currently, the team is operating exclusively within the five-foot-wide well site.

In absence of the wait for the operational platform excavation, the team is now progressing more efficiently through the loamy fill dirt. The sandy fill dirt within the well is significantly less difficult to excavate and is relatively easy to sift. The smaller operational area for excavation and potential evidence processing is challenging but enables a greater gain in depth each day. Safety is a constant concern as the team proceeds deeper below grade.

This site is the second well site to be excavated along Flood Road between Escalon Bellota Road and Waverly Road. On February 8, 2012, San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office broke ground to excavate a well on an adjacent parcel and recovered the remains of three females and one fetus.