April 17, 2023
By: Dwayne Page
A little more than a month after a human skull was found near Center Hill Lake more remains, keys, and clothing were located today (Monday) during an expanded search effort in the same area near where Matthew Wayne Braswell was last seen sixteen months ago.
“Today (Monday) we found more remains including a scapula (shoulder blade) and a mandible (jawbone). We also found a portion of a pair of blue jean denim shorts fitting the description that Braswell was wearing and a key lanyard with keys on it. An area of about 10 acres was searched and the terrain was very rough making the effort very difficult. We will continue our investigation and will hopefully have some answers at a later date,” said Sheriff Patrick Ray.
Participating in the search were officers of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department, members of the Smithville-DeKalb Rescue Squad, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Rangers from the Corps of Engineers, and members from the Middle Tennessee State University Anthropology Team.
The first clue in the disappearance of Braswell turned up on Thursday, March 9 when a human skull was found only 1.6 (aerial) miles from where Braswell was last seen on December 17, 2021 after he fled on foot from the scene of a crash on Ponder Road off Cookeville Highway. He was age 29 at the time.
More evidence including a shoe, sock, and a bone surfaced during a follow-up visual search in the same area on Wednesday, March 15. Sheriff Ray said at the time that the sock and shoe were consistent with the clothing Braswell was wearing when last seen.
The Anthropology team determined the bones found today (Monday) to be human, and as they did in the previous discoveries, investigators will send the remains to the state medical examiner’s office for further examinations by certified labs to determine identity.
Sheriff Ray said he wishes to thank all those who took part in the search effort Monday.
About the Middle Tennessee State University Anthropology Team:
The Forensic Anthropology Search and Recovery (FASR) Team is a group of MTSU students selected through a competitive application process. These students excel academically and professionally and volunteer their time assisting at skeletal crime scenes and the morgue. They receive specialized training in human Osteology and forensic scene recovery.
This team is under the direction of MTSU professor and forensic anthropologist Dr. Tiffany Saul. Dr. Saul received her training at the University of Tennessee at the internationally known Body Farm.