“Most Likely a Farmer” – Schodack Homeowner Shares Chilling Backyard Discovery

Talk about something you'd NEVER expect to find in your backyard. A homeowner in Schodack made a shocking discovery while doing excavation work on his property near Burden Lake Road: human remains.

“I saw the eyes and I even thought at that moment, I’m like, it’s a Halloween decoration,” said homeowner Brian Cardella.  -News 10 ABC

Authorities Called In

It didn't take long for the authorities to be called in, and the situation quickly got serious. But after further investigation by the New York State Police and experts from the New York State Museum, it was determined this was NOT a crime scene.
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Instead, the remains are believed to date to the 19th century, likely a colonial-era burial.

Homeowner Details Chilling Find

The man who owns the home is Brian Cardella, and according to his Facebook post, investigators found nails and fragments of wood consistent with a coffin, and much of the lower half of the remains was still intact. There’s even a possibility a second—or even third—set of remains could be involved, though that’s still being determined.

Site Turned Over to the State Museum

The site has now been turned over to the State Museum’s Department of Anthropology, which is working to research the remains and determine the best next steps—whether that’s relocating them to a nearby cemetery or possibly leaving them in place.

Cardella shared that he’d personally hate to disturb someone’s final resting place, which adds another layer to an already fascinating situation.

Either way, it’s a wild reminder that here in the Capital Region… history is literally right beneath our feet.