HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A missing man found buried in yard in 2021 in the Montrose area has been ruled a homicide.
The mystery began in February 2021, when a man who lived in the home disappeared and was reported as missing. Months later, a new tenant made a shocking discovery.
“I saw the ribs poking out and that’s what made me think, ‘Is that a body? What is that?'” explained the woman in December 2021 who says she found the remains and called Houston police.
According to police, human remains were discovered in the backyard of a home in the 600 block of W. Clay near Stanford at about 11:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 6.
When officials arrived, they were directed to the yard, where the remains were found.
On April 7, a medical examiner determined the cause of death as a “sharp force and blunt force trauma of the torso.”
The woman who says she found the remains did not want to be identified, but said she had been living at the home for months and had been trying to clean it up.
“There’s people who have just moved into the home, so they weren’t here when the person went missing. So we got everyone out. Common practice for an investigation. We’re questioning everyone no matter how long they have been living here, however short of time,” said HPD Sgt. Stephen Jimenez in December.
Alex Bos lived across the street for years and said he thought it was strange when the owner of the house seemed to disappear in 2021.
“It was always pretty suspicious because he had a little Yorkie that he would take around everywhere. Then one day, he was gone, along with his truck, but the Yorkie was left behind,” said Bos.
Next-door neighbor Cathryn Cummings told in December there had been several different people living in the home for several months.
“It’s been kind of a rotating cast of characters. I am not sure if any of them are paying rent since nobody knows where the homeowner is,” Cummings said.
As the investigation continues, the autopsy determined cause of death, but did not positively identify the victim.
