MARION COUNTY, Florida (October 11, 2017) – Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO)
Major Crimes detectives received information from the FBI Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, positively identifying human skeletal remains that were discovered in the Florida Highlands in August 2016. The remains belong to Nicholas Shawn Tillis (DOB: 03/27/1985), who was reported missing to the MCSO by his family in October 2016. Tillis was known to check in with his family monthly, and they had not heard from him in three months. However, deputies could not find anything suspicious regarding his disappearance. Detectives notified his family of this new information Tuesday afternoon.
On the afternoon of Friday, August 26, 2016, MCSO deputies responded to a call for service of human skeletal remains being found in a wooded area near 9587 SW 151st Place in the Florida Highlands in Dunnellon. The reportee said as he was walking through the wooded area, he tripped over a tree branch and upon catching himself, saw bones on the ground. The reportee then called for law enforcement’s assistance.
Currently, there are no signs of foul play among Tillis’ remains; however, the death investigation is still on-going. If you have any information on this case, please call Detective Bradley Bartlett at 352-438-5932 and to remain anonymous, please call the Crime Stoppers of Marion County at 352-368-STOP.
Lauren Lettelier
Public Information Officer
Cell: (352) 843-4205
Office: (352) 368-3594
E-Mail: llettelier@marionso.com
