SOUTH DAYTONA, Fla. — An empty house is the focus of a police investigation in South Daytona after cleaning crews found a human skull on Tuesday.
The remains were discovered in the backyard at a home along Pope Avenue after a company was called to clean up the hose.
Also found were explosives that a bomb squad had to remove, authorities said.
Thierri Delannoy and his company were sifting through the house after the owners moved to an assisted living facility.
The company was performing an estate appraisal when they found boxes of bullets, dynamite and the human remains.
“I picked (a mortar) up, and I was holding it in my hand and I'm looking down at it and it said, ‘Equal to six sticks of dynamite,’” said Delannoy.
Delannoy said he didn't know if it would go off, so he did the only thing he could do.
“I slowly set it back down and walked out of the shed and went in the house,” he said.
Soon, the bomb squad arrived and removed the explosives and two containers full of mercury and lithium. Delannoy told the crews about the human skull and bones, and police collected them for review by the medical examiner.
It's possible Delannoy stumbled upon an ancient find he wishes he didn't.
"I just hope no voodoo or anything like that follows me around,” he said.
Family members said their parents did like to search for Indian arrow heads and artifacts.