Human remains found in Sedgwick County field identified

The remains of a transient man found by a landowner mowing in a Sedgwick County field this spring have been identified as Douglas O. Collins.

Collins, who did not have a local address, would have been 60 years old when his body was discovered on May 15 near a home in the 14800 block of West 13th Street, just outside of Wichita city limits, said Lt. Lin Dehning, spokesman for the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office.

As of Friday, the cause and manner of his death had not yet been released. But authorities immediately after the discovery said investigators had no evidence that foul play was involved.

Because Collins’ body was in an advanced state of decomposition, the sheriff’s office called on a forensic anthropologist to help identify him and what led to his demise. Dehning said Friday that the remains have been sent to family members of Collins who live around Atlanta, Ga.

This story was originally published July 28, 2017 at 5:58 PM with the headline "Human remains found in Sedgwick County field identified."