Local authorities are investigating after a box containing human remains was discovered inside a rental home on West Ridgecrest Drive earlier this month, unveiling a bizarre decades-old backstory.

Officers with the Kingston Police Department responded to the residence around 3:40 p.m. on July 10 following a report of possible human bones stored inside the home. Upon arrival, police located a box containing the remains hidden in a garage closet. Investigators noted that the bones appeared to have been sitting there for an extended period.

According to a Roane County Medical Examiner’s Office autopsy authorization form, the home’s owner—a Georgia resident—told police the bones were originally discovered in an Overton County cave more than 70 years ago. The owner claimed the remains were previously intended for donation to the University of Tennessee.

The Knox County Regional Forensic Center has been tasked with performing a comprehensive autopsy to determine the cause and manner of death. A forensic anthropology consultation has also been requested to help unravel the history of the remains.

The investigation remains ongoing.