Unmarked human burials, knowledge or discovery - notice to local law ...
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 194.406
in effect194.406. Unmarked human burials, knowledge or discovery — notice to local law enforcement officer or state historic preservation officer — jurisdiction, how determined. — 1. Any person knowing or with reason to know that an unmarked human burial or human skeletal remains are being disturbed, destroyed, defaced, mutilated, removed, or excavated, or exposed shall immediately notify either the state historic preservation officer or the local law enforcement officer with jurisdiction for the area in which the burial or remains are encountered.
2. When an unmarked human burial or human skeletal remains are encountered as a result of construction or agricultural earth disturbing activities or by a professional archaeologist in the course of an investigation all such activities shall cease immediately within a radius of fifty feet of the point of discovery. Such activity shall not resume without specific authorization from either the state historic preservation officer or the local law enforcement officer, whichever party has jurisdiction over and responsibility for such remains. Said parties shall act promptly and make a decision within a reasonable time. Jurisdiction will be determined as follows:
(1) If upon investigation, the local law enforcement officer determines that the human skeletal remains may be involved in a legal investigation, that officer will immediately assume all jurisdiction over and responsibility for such remains;
(2) If upon investigation, the local enforcement officer determines that the remains are not involved in a legal investigation, the state historic preservation officer or his duly designated representative shall assume responsibility for such remains.
(L. 1987 S.B. 24 § 3)
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=194.406Fetched: 10/17/2026