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Woman's Remains Found In Brisbane After Man Shows Off Human Skull

BRISBANE (CBS SF) - Police in Brisbane were working to identify a woman whose remains were found on a hillside - a discovery prompted by the November arrest of a man who was walking around with a human skull.

On Tuesday, police said the case came to light after a 9-1-1 call in November about a man in downtown Brisbane with a human skull.

A customer at Madhouse coffee shop had called to report a man, identified as 56-year-old Joseph Carrabino, was showing off a skull that he said he'd just found.

Carrabino refused to give up the skull when confronted by cops on the cafe courtyard, police said. Witnesses said officers used a taser to subdue Carrabino after he tangled with officers. Two officers were hurt in the confrontation, police said.

Carrabino charged with resisting arrest and assault on an officer, according to District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe. Carrabino pleaded no contest to the assault charge.

After Carrabino was released from jail in January, he lead investigators a vacant hillside property in Brisbane where he had found the skull. Police fouind the rest of the remains and identified it as a woman's body.

Police have not said how long the remains appear to have been there, or whether Carrabino had anything to do with the woman's death.

Investigators are reportedly looking at missing person reports and DNA analysis to try to identify the woman.

A KPIX 5 reporter who caught up with Carrabino on Tuesday could not get him to answer any questions. Reporter Joe Vazquez and his photographer were blocked from approaching Carrabino by a man waving a large wrench.

Brisbane police ask anyone who might have any information that could help in the case to call them at 415-467-1212..

(Copyright 2013 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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