Remains found in Tallahassee this week are believed to be those of a Florida father of four last seen over a year ago, police announced.
A group of people found skeletal human remains just before 3 p.m. on Monday in what police described as a "heavily wooded area" on the 2600 block of Apalachee Parkway, Tallahassee police said.
Police say that "preliminary findings" indicate the remains are those of Jason Winoker, who was reported missing last year.
Winoker, who was 52-years-old at the time of his disappearance, was last seen by family members in the early morning hours of Aug. 17, 2021, according to a report filed with the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System.
His last known whereabouts were a hotel less than half a mile from where the human remains were found.
Winoker and his wife traveled from Tampa to Tallahassee to drop off one of the couple's four children at Florida State University, CBS affiliate WCTV of Tallahassee reported.
Winoker's wife said he woke up disoriented at around 1 a.m., grabbed his wallet and keys, and left their hotel room without his phone, according to WCTV. She could not be reached by NBC News for comment.
A spokesperson for the Tallahassee Medical Examiner said the investigation remains open and directed questions to the police department.
A spokesperson for the Tallahassee Police Department could not immediately be reached.
