Notice2026-00869
Notice of Inventory Completion: Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner, Los Angeles, CA
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
January 16, 2026
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Los Angeles County Dept. of Medical Examiner (LAC DME) has completed an inventory of human remains and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 11 (Friday, January 16, 2026)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 11 (Friday, January 16, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Page 2149]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-00869]
[[Page 2149]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N6880; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0041868; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Inventory Completion: Los Angeles County Department of
Medical Examiner, Los Angeles, CA
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Los Angeles County Dept. of Medical
Examiner (LAC DME) has completed an inventory of human remains and has
determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human
remains and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this
notice.
DATES: Repatriation of the human remains in this notice may occur on or
after February 17, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send written requests for repatriation of the human remains
in this notice to Inv. Deanne Morrell, 1104 N Mission Road, Los
Angeles, CA 90033, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#284c45475a5a4d444468454d0644494b475d465c51064f475e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f490999b8686919898b49991da9895979b819a808dda939b82">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is published as part of the
National Park Service's administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA.
The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the
LAC DME, and additional information on the determinations in this
notice, including the results of consultation, can be found in its
inventory or related records. The National Park Service is not
responsible for the determinations in this notice.
Abstract of Information Available
Human remains representing five individuals have been identified.
No associated funerary objects are present. The five skulls were
recovered by the LAC DME after a community member reported the findings
to L.A. Police Department. The community member claimed that the five
skulls were purchased by his father (who passed away in 2024) at an
antique shop in Memphis, Tennessee in the 1980s. The skulls were
reportedly found near a local construction site, according to the
antique shop worker. The community member's father transported the five
skulls back to his home in Woodland Hills, CA where they remained until
his death.
Cultural Affiliation
Based on the information available and the results of consultation
with the Cherokee Nation, The Chickasaw Nation, and The Choctaw Nation
of Oklahoma, cultural affiliation is reasonably identified by the
geographical location or acquisition history of the human remains
described in this notice.
Determinations
The LAC DME has determined that:
<bullet> The human remains described in this notice represent the
physical remains of five individuals of Native American ancestry.
<bullet> There is a connection between the human remains described
in this notice and The Chickasaw Nation.
Requests for Repatriation
Written requests for repatriation of the human remains in this
notice must be sent to the authorized representative identified in this
notice under ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation may be submitted by:
1. Any one or more of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian
organizations identified in this notice.
2. Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian
organization not identified in this notice who shows, by a
preponderance of the evidence, that the requestor is a lineal
descendant or an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization with
cultural affiliation.
Repatriation of the human remains described in this notice to a
requestor may occur on or after February 17, 2026. If competing
requests for repatriation are received, the LAC DME must determine the
most appropriate requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint
repatriation of the human remains are considered a single request and
not competing requests. The LAC DME is responsible for sending a copy
of this notice to the Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations
identified in this notice and any other consulting parties.
Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act,
25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.10.
Dated: January 9, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-00869 Filed 1-15-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on January 16, 2026.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.