Houston authorities are currently piecing together the grim puzzle of a man's death on Astoria Boulevard this past Sunday. As reported by City of Houston News, around 2 p.m., Houston police along with the fire department personnel responded to a distress call at 11800 Astoria Boulevard, arriving at a scene where attempts by witnesses to save a man, whose lower legs were aflame, proved futile.
The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences is undertaking the task to confirm the identity of the deceased. HPD's Homicide Division Sergeant K. Persad and Detective C. Bowling are at the helm of what has now become a joint investigation involving their division, the forensic institute, and the Houston Fire Department's Arson Division. A gas can and an electric bicycle found near the body might hold clues to what led to this tragic incident.
Details are scant, but the urgency of solving this mystery is palpable. Officials are working to understand not only how the man died, but also what caused the fire that eventually led to his death.
Authorities are now extending a call to the public, urging anyone who might have information about this case to come forward. HPD Homicide Division can be reached at 713-308-3600, and there is also an option for anonymous tips via Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.
