Human jawbone discovered at historic Concordia Cemetery

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)-- Concordia Cemetery is known as the final resting place of legendary gunslinger John Wesley Hardin and El Paso’s first mayor, Ben Dowell. But for one El Paso resident, a recent walk through the cemetery turned into something unexpected.

Michael Caisse, who was visiting the historic cemetery with his family, said he was shocked when he came across a human jaw lying on top of a grave site.

“It looked like something had dug it out,” Caisse told ABC-7. “But it’s kind of like, you don’t see a jaw in a cemetery just hanging out.”

Caisse said spotting what appeared to be human remains in a place designed to honor the dead felt unsettling. “It’s kind of weird,” he said. “It’s a cemetery, and you see a body coming up.”

Concordia Cemetery has been around since 1855, with the first burial being in 1856. Louie Zamorano, with the Concordia Heritage Association, believes animals are to blame for the recent discovery.

“It’s rare when it happens, but it does happen,” Zamorano said. “Since the cemetery has been open since 1855, wooden caskets deteriorate over time. And that’s more than likely what happened.”

Zamorano said animals such as foxes and squirrels frequently roam the cemetery, often disturbing older graves as they dig through the grounds.

The Concordia Heritage Association is a nonprofit that relies on volunteers to preserve the cemetery. Zamorano said the group takes pride in maintaining the site, especially since many of the volunteers have loved ones buried there.

“We’ve been here. We have family here resting, my grandfather, my grandmother, aunts and uncles,” he said. “We take pride in giving back and keeping this cemetery.”

Caisse believes more community involvement is needed to care for the cemetery’s aging infrastructure.

“These are El Pasoans that built this city,” he said. “Now they’re just resting, and you can’t even find their names their headstones are broken.”

When asked who is responsible for maintaining the graves and headstones, Zamorano said That’s a difficult question.

“Normally, the upkeep of your gravesite in a cemetery without a maintenance crew is the responsibility of the family,” Zamorano said. “But since the cemetery has been here since the 1800s, many families have either passed on or moved away.”

Over the past two years, the association has replaced more than 22 headstones, and Zamorano says they continue working to make improvements.

“I have a lot of pride in El Paso,” he said. “This cemetery, along with Evergreen, is one of the only ones in the heart of the city. The rest are on the outskirts. I don’t want this place to be forgotten.”

Concordia Heritage Association hosts fundraisers to continue to improve the cemetery.

• Sundown Walk With The Spirits Oct. 4
• Death By Denim ll Fashion Show Oct. 10
• Dia De Los Muertos Festival Oct. 25
• Halloween At Concordia Cemetery: GhostInvestigation & Trunk or Treat Oct. 31
• Cha's 35th Anniversary Celebration. Nov. 15
• Thanksgiving Weekend Lock-in Nov. 29

Ticket for available on Eventbrite . For volunteering opportunities, visit The Concordia Heritage Association.