203d homicide a secret nearly taken to the grave

The slaying of Earl Martin almost went undetected.

Martin, 83, was found dead Thursday morning in his home at 500 N. Hobart St. in West Philadelphia after family asked police to check on him.

His body was decomposed, but the initial report to the Medical Examiner's Office did not indicate that, office spokesman Jeff Moran said.

Decomposed bodies must be examined by a pathologist to determine whether foul play was involved. Instead, arrangements were made for the Pelzer Funeral Home to pick up Martin's body, officials said.

Claude Pelzer was surprised by the body's condition, he said yesterday, and did not understand why Martin had not been taken directly to the Medical Examiner's Office.

The family's desire for a burial prevented the homicide from going undetected, Pelzer said.

Because of its condition, Martin's body could not be embalmed, so the funeral home took it to the Medical Examiner's Office, in West Philadelphia, for proper storage.

There, pathologists determined that Martin had been stabbed in the neck and head, making him the 203d Philadelphia homicide victim of the year.

"We could have cremated him and nobody would have known," Pelzer said.

Police said yesterday that they had no motive or suspects in the slaying.

Martin's funeral is scheduled for Friday, Pelzer said.