BERKS COUNTY, PA – Recent advancements in DNA analysis and anthropological investigation have enabled authorities to identify a human skull found in 2022 within Berks County. The skull is believed to be that of Roger Hart of Pottstown, a man who disappeared almost two decades ago after being indicted for the attempted murder of his wife.
Authorities revealed that a young boy discovered the skull in a pond near Pine Lane, Amity Township, on April 30, 2022. Law enforcement officials confirmed that Hart’s identity, absent since the aftermath of a violent domestic dispute in 2004, had been confirmed via advanced scientific investigation techniques.
The dating of the skull, using forensic examination, indicated that the remains had been subjected to the elements for a duration exceeding a decade, aligning with Hart’s timeline of vanishing.
Over the years, two concerted efforts to recover the entirety of Hart’s remains from the pond have proved unsuccessful to date. Law enforcement first connected Hart’s disappearance to the region when his abandoned vehicle was found in close vicinity to Pine Lane, Amity Township, in 2004.
Inside the abandoned vehicle, officials found Hart’s keys and wallet positioned on the front seat. A witness account from the period reported seeing a man believed to resemble Hart leaving the vehicle and entering the adjacent woodland.
Despite the partial recovery of Hart’s remains, authorities have yet to establish a cause of death as more body parts remain missing. As a result, the investigation into this case persists.