Australian authorities said Sunday they believe they may have found the remains of outlaw Ned Kelly and 31 other former Melbourne prisoners. ( dpa )
Kelly was hanged in the Old Melbourne Gaol in 1880 after being captured and tried following a shootout with police. The location of his remains has been a mystery.
"Although it may not be possible to conclusively match remains to individual prisoners, we hope the analysis will provide a better understanding of the history of the burials following the Old Melbourne Gaol closure in the 1920s," Victorian state government spokesman Justin Madden said.
Archaeologist Jeremy Smith said a positive identification of Kelly's remains would be difficult, "as his were not handled with a great degree of care."
Smith said that "it's also possible that his skull and other body parts were stolen immediately following his 1880 execution."
The remains of 32 executed prisoners, including Kelly, were exhumed from the Old Melbourne Gaol and buried at Pentridge in 1929.