An official with the Council Bluffs Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division says law enforcement personnel discovered bone fragments during a search of a burned out Glenwood home on New Year’s Eve. Sgt. Chad Meyers told the Daily NonPareil today (Wednesday), there is no confirmation the bones are human, however. Authorities transported the bones to the state lab in Ankeny for testing.

The mother of 26-year old Travis Bach had said earlier she feared her son’s remains would be found in the home owned by 69-year old Gerald Nibbe, who was away the evening of Dec. 31st, when the fire broke out and destroyed the structure. Colleen Bach said she believes her son was near the scene of the fire, because a suspicious vehicle was found parked on the property the night of the fire. The vehicle’s owner, who lives in Council Bluffs, told sheriff’s deputies that he lent the vehicle to Travis Bach. When Travis never returned home that evening, the family filed a missing person report with the Council Bluffs Police Department. Sgt. Meyers confirmed that authorities have not located Travis Bach since the fire. Authorities said Travis Bach knew Nibbe and had done “odd jobs” for him in the past.

Investigators with the Iowa State Fire Marshal Division were not able to determine what caused the fire.