Human head and hands found in Colorado freezer during cleanup of recently sold house

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — People who were cleaning out a recently sold home in western Colorado found a human head and hands in a freezer, authorities said.

The remains were found in a home in Grand Junction, about 200 miles (320 kilometers) west of Denver, on Jan. 12, and an autopsy this week confirmed they are human, the Mesa County Sheriff's Office said Thursday.

Investigators have been in contact with the home's previous owners, sheriff's spokesperson Wendy Likes said Friday.

“Our hope is to positively identify the victim while remaining respectful of the victim and the victim's family,” the sheriff's office said in a statement. Officials have not given the sex of the person whose remains were found or said if they've determined the cause of death.

Authorities don't believe there is an ongoing threat to the community.