Mummified body found in bathtub/ Arizona
Mummified body found in bathtub Leeann Skoda The Arizona Republic Feb. 11, 2008 03:28 PM Phoenix Police were investigating a mummified body found in a bathtub, buried with layers of sand, dirt and plywood in a deserted home. Owners of rental cottages on the 1600 block of West Rose Lane became suspicious when a renter stopped paying rent and apparently abandoned the building. On Friday at about 6 p.m., they began to clean up the residence, which was in "deplorable" condition. The home, about 700 square feet in size, was filled with trash, human waste and personal belongings, Sgt. Joel Tranter of Phoenix Police said. When the owners entered the bathroom, they saw the bathtub was filled with dirt and sand and covered by plastic and a sheet of plywood, Phoenix police said. As they dug the sand from the tub, they found a human leg and called police. The body was not completely decomposed, but investigators said they believe that the body had been dead for years, Tranter said. The bathtub was removed with the body still inside and taken to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office for an examination, he said. It is possible that the body is that of the original renter, but it has not been identified yet. The original renter has not been seen in seven years, Tranter said. Weeks of examination will reveal the identity of the body as well as the cause of death, Tranter said. Several years ago the property owners saw an occupant inside the home whom they did not recognize to be the original renter. The lease was signed 1995. However, that man claimed to be the renter when confronted and the owners continued to receive rent checks on time each month, Tranter said. The owners did not push issues because the rent checks kept coming. When the rent checks stopped coming in August 2007, the owners assumed the renter would return for his property. Police found the identity of the original owner, but are not releasing the name, Tranter said. Neighbor Boris Rubinov said he recently moved to the area, which is near horse stables and a golf course. He said he saw police working outside the home from Friday and through Saturday morning. "It's a scary thought, decomposing for years. In Brooklyn, where I used to live, we didn't have that," he said. Philip Halidman contributed to this story. http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0211abrk-bodyfound.html