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Remains identified as adult male

The skeletal remains found by a hiker in open space off Skyline Boulevard in mid-February belong to a white male adult believed to be between 54 and 64 years old, according to a report from the offices of the county coroner and the county sheriff.

The remains are about three years old and include a skull, "other skeletal remains," articles of clothing and a pair of shoes, deputies said. Using trousers as a reference point, authorities estimated that the man had a 54-inch waist and a 30-inch inseam. The footwear is a pair of size-12 blue-white-and-silver Nike Air Max Moto athletic shoes. "The physical description of the decedent appears to have been 'large,'" deputies said in a press release.

A hiker called 911 on Feb. 18 after spotting the remains during an off-trail excursion in the Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve, deputies said. The preserve is located on the western slope of the Santa Cruz Mountains across from the northern end of Woodside, and accessible by Kings Mountain Road to Skyline Boulevard.

Responding to the hiker's call were rangers from the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, deputies and detectives from the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office, and investigators from the county coroner's office, deputies said. Information regarding the the remains is based on an examination by a forensic anthropologist, deputies said.

The investigation continues. Deputies are asking anyone with information to call Detective Matthew Broad at 363-4363.