SIDNEY, Neb. – A bone fragment discovered during renovation work at a downtown Sidney building last week has been identified as an animal bone, prompting authorities to lift the crime scene designation and allow construction to resume.

Cheyenne County Sheriff Adam Frerichs said the bone, embedded in concrete poured in 1925, was examined by two independent archaeologists, both of whom confirmed it was not human. The remains are believed to be from a pig.

The discovery was made at 1025 10th Avenue in Sidney, where a new business is being developed. Workers uncovered the bone near the top of the foundation—just four to five inches deep—while drilling for a water line.

Building owner Jessica Mac said she was attending a wedding in Alliance when she received a call from the sheriff's office informing her the site had been declared an active crime scene.

Mac later learned the building sits in an area that once housed a meat market and butcher shop, and she was told it was common practice in the 1920s to use animal bones, glass, and metal as filler in concrete.