{"id":310503,"date":"2026-06-17T15:03:07","date_gmt":"2026-06-17T15:03:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/310503\/"},"modified":"2026-06-17T15:03:07","modified_gmt":"2026-06-17T15:03:07","slug":"medical-examiner-releases-findings-on-remains-found-at-tom-brown-park","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/310503\/","title":{"rendered":"Medical examiner releases findings on remains found at Tom Brown Park"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Office of the Medical Examiner<\/a> released its analysis of human remains found at Tom Brown Park in Tallahassee, offering new details about the history of the burial site.<\/p>\n

WATCH FULL REPORT BELOW:<\/p>\n

Medical examiner releases findings on human remains found at Tom Brown Park in Tallahassee<\/p>\n

The office analyzed bone fragments and pieces of a coffin found along a bike trail in the park in January.<\/p>\n

An analysis of the coffin pieces \u2014 including casket handles, casket screws, and fragments of glass \u2014 suggests the burial occurred between 1900 and 1935.<\/p>\n

Due to the state of the skeletal remains, investigators were not able to identify who the bone fragments belonged to. The office ultimately concluded the remains were connected to the Tom Brown Cemetery because of its proximity to the discovery site.<\/p>\n

The cemetery<\/a> is the final resting place of Lena Kilpatrick-Harris’ grandparents \u2014 grandfather Walter Kilpatrick and great-grandparents J.W. and Mariah Kilpatrick.<\/p>\n

J.W. Kilpatrick is believed to be a founding pastor of Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church<\/a>, a historic Black church founded in 1892 that has since served as a meeting place for Tallahassee’s Civil Rights Movement.<\/p>\n

“I’m thrilled that we know about it now,\u201d Lena Kilpatrick-Harris said.<\/p>\n

She pushed for preservation of the site when the remains were first discovered in January<\/a>, and that mission remains unchanged.<\/p>\n

The family is actively working with the City of Tallahassee<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A city representative says park staff met with the family and, at their request, is working to find a grant to support testing in the area.<\/p>\n

“I would like for them to do more research on whether or not there are more family members or people that we may know that’s buried there also. And that’s one thing, I guess, going forward maybe we’ll be able to find the funds to go ahead on and do further research on it,\u201d Kilpatrick-Harris said.<\/p>\n

The city representative also said the bike trail has been re-routed away from the cemetery, and it will remain that way.<\/p>\n

***This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.***<\/p>\n

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