Human bones discovered across several months in a Birmingham neighborhood — a case Yellowhammer News reported on earlier this year — have now been formally identified by the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office as 25-year-old Curtis Taylor Jr. of Center Point.
The office also confirmed the manner of death as homicide due to a gunshot wound.
The discoveries began in August 2024, when a dog brought home a human skull to a residence on 5th Place NW. A search of the area did not uncover further remains, and early DNA testing produced no matches in the national database.
Nearly four months later, the same dog returned with a long bone, later identified as Taylor’s tibia. Investigators placed a GPS tracker on the dog in an effort to determine the source of the remains, but initial searches did not lead to additional findings.
According to a recent ABC 33/40 report, Taylor had been reported missing by family members on February 21, 2024. His family lived directly across the street from the residence where the dogs repeatedly returned with bones.
Taylor, who was visually impaired, was ultimately located in a wooded area behind his home after further searches by trained K-9 teams.
As the investigation continued, additional skeletal remains surfaced. In August 2025, a K-9 search team discovered more bones on property connected to Taylor’s family, and more were recovered in the days that followed.
These findings further confirmed the coroner’s determination that all remains belonged to the same individual.
The coroner’s office stated that forensic analysis showed Taylor died from a gunshot wound and ruled the case a homicide. Law enforcement agencies continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding his death and disappearance.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at sherri@yellowhammernews.com.
