KTLA

Human remains found at San Fernando Valley home

Human remains were discovered on a property in North Hills on Tuesday in connection with a missing person case, authorities said.

Sky5 footage showed crime scene tape surrounding a home on the 16200 block of Community Court near the intersection of Roscoe Boulevard and Woodley Avenue.

Los Angeles Fire Department crews assisted L.A. police with the excavation and recovery of the victim in the backyard of the one-acre property.

“We quickly determined that it was not going to be a surface-type investigation,” said LAPD Dept. Chief Alan Hamilton. “So we made arrangements to have the coroner’s investigating team come out that specializes in exhuming human remains and making sure that no evidence is missed.”

To retrieve the body, LAFD crew members dug deep beneath the ground underneath a structure used for storage near the pool house.

“At some point, somebody thought that they could murder someone and hide the body,” Hamilton said.

Investigators were initially tipped off by an unidentified citizen which led authorities to the home on Community Court.

One suspect, Russell Robinson, 48, was later arrested and booked on a murder charge. One of the homeowners told KTLA that Robinson is allegedly accused of murdering a relative.

Police officials did not immediately release the victim’s identity, but said he was a man who went missing in June of this year.

“Our detectives have been working on this for approximately two weeks and we feel comfortable that we have the right person in custody and that there is no further danger to the North Hills community here in Los Angeles,” Hamilton said.

The suspect is being held on $2 million bail as the investigation continues.