Decomposing body discovered in trunk of stolen vehicle in North Philadelphia, police say
Officers made the grim discovery on the 2000 block of North Bambrey Street.
Police discovered a decomposing body in the trunk of a stolen car in North Philadelphia on Tuesday, law enforcement officials said.
Officers responded to the 2000 block of North Bambrey Street around 9 p.m. after neighbors reported strong odors coming from a Dodge Challenger parked on the street, said Chief Inspector Scott Small.
Small said there was a “strong odor of a decomposing body” coming from the trunk of the car, which the fire department assisted in prying open.
The body was wrapped in an “unknown material” and leaking fluid, he said.
Medical examiners were expected to examine the corpse Wednesday to determine the person’s age, race, and gender, and whether the person died of natural causes or was a victim of foul play.
Police ran the Dodge’s license plate and found that the car had been reported stolen Friday, Small said. Neighbors told investigators the vehicle had been parked on the block since the weekend.
Police will tow the vehicle to a department garage for further investigation. Small said investigators would also review footage from several security cameras on the block.
The department has yet to identify a suspect in the car theft.
As for the body found inside, Small said, “It’s somewhat unusual.”
“We find bodies later, wrapped up or in containers,” the inspector added. “But to find them in the trunk of a car is more rare.”