Police have no leads on skeletal remains found nearly 6 months ago

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- It's been nearly six months since a human skull was found outside of a home in northeast Houston and police have zero leads. However, ABC13 uncovered what was going on inside a home at the same time the bones were discovered, just 100 feet away from where the rest of the remains were found.

Police don't know whether there was foul play involved or how or when he died, but they believe the bones belonged to a man between 18 and 27 years old.

The only clue they have is a pair of men's size 10 black tennis shoes. One shoe was found still on a foot, while the other was located nearby, according to police.

Police believe a dog discovered the remains in a wooded area, and then brought the skull to a nearby home on Lake Valley Drive during December 2021.

Records show the home belonged to a 60-year-old woman named Queeny Thomas who was running a boarding house called Queen's Castle. The website is still up, but the phone numbers don't go through, and the house is abandoned.

When searching for Thomas, records indicated she died from COVID-19 in March 2021, nine months before the bones were discovered. But ABC13 found one of Thomas' sons, Donald McFarland.

"She had a rough life and always wanted to give back, especially to people with addiction problems or mental health problems," McFarland said. "She provided shelter, insurance cards, and medical cards, to get them back on track."

McFarland shared an old business card, which reads, "We offer a cozy home with a family environment. Enjoy home-cooked meals, laundry services, and supervised prescription medication."

After his mother died, Donald said his brother Tyrone took over the boarding house, taking care of up to eight people who were mostly homeless, until he just couldn't handle it.

"He got overwhelmed," McFarland said. "I got a call before December saying it was hard for him and he couldn't enjoy life. He did this for mom. When she passed away, he said, 'I did my part, I want to live my life.'"

According to McFarland, his brother closed down the boarding house around Dec. 2021, the same time the bones were discovered.

ABC13 reached out to Houston's public works division and a spokesperson said the boarding house should not have been even running then because they didn't have the proper permits. While Thomas had a certification of occupancy, her residential facility annual operation permit expired in 2020. In fact, public works even received a complaint that the boarding house was being operated without a valid permit. Public works went to the home on three different occasions and even contacted Thomas on her cellphone, but the permit was never renewed.

Detectives could not say whether they received a list of the names of the people living at the home during the period when the bones were discovered.

"We are looking at a lot of different avenues," Detective Hobson responded.

When asked if police could say whether any person living at the home was unaccounted for, Detective Hobson replied no.

Detective Hobson said police interviewed one of Thomas' sons back in 2021, which was news to McFarland.

"Have the police ever spoken to you?" reporter Brooke Taylor asked. "No, ma'am," he replied.

"Have they ever spoken to Tyrone?" Taylor asked. "Not that I know of," Donald said.

As for where Tyrone is now, Donald said he's homeless in downtown Houston, struggling ever since he closed down the boarding home after their mother's death.

Houston police are unsure of whether there is any connection between the bones and the boarding home, leaving all possibilities open.

"It was a field behind the house, about 100 yards," Detective Hobson said. "There were a lot of homes but it's still one of the things we are looking into."

Still, without a list of who was living in the home 100 yards away from where most of the bones were found, police are unsure of which occupants are still alive or dead, or whether they are linked to the case at all.

Along with the sneakers, police said the man was wearing black Hanes socks, Russell brand sweatpants, and a FreshForce brand t-shirt.

DNA was found on and near the remains, which will be crucial in determining who the bones belong to, according to Detective Hobson. But it could take anywhere from two months to two years to get the results from the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.

Desperate for a lead, police are asking for the public's help.

If anyone has any information, they are asked to contact Houston Police, Forensic Investigations, or stay anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers. There's a possibility information could lead to a reward.

For updates on this story, follow Brooke Taylor on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.