A hidden storage area under a Queens overpass turned into a crime scene on Tuesday, after police recovered a badly decomposed body near the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway and Northern Boulevard. NYPD investigators taped off the location and began combing through the spot for clues, while the city's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner prepared to determine how and why the person died. Detectives are also working to confirm the individual's identity.
Where the remains were found
According to police, the body was discovered in a storage area beneath an overpass near the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (I-278) and Northern Boulevard. The space belongs to the Department of Transportation, as reported by PIX11. Officers sealed off the area so evidence could be collected, and a unit from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner was called in to take custody of the remains.
Discovery and investigation
Police told PIX11 the discovery "may have been made by a DOT worker." The city's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, which is responsible for investigating suspicious and unattended deaths, will determine the cause and manner of death, according to the OCME's family guide.
How to help investigators
Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact NYPD Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS or submit an anonymous tip online, per the NYPD. Tips can also be texted to 274637 (CRIMES) using the code TIP577.
A grim pattern in Queens
While every case is its own story, badly decomposed remains have been recovered in several parts of Queens in recent years. Hoodline previously reported a decomposed body found on a sailboat at Newtown Creek last July. Areas under the BQE and other overpasses are sometimes used as makeshift encampments or storage, which can delay discoveries and complicate investigations, as reported by amNY and local outlets.
Detectives from the local precinct and NYPD crime scene units remain on the case and say they will release more information as it becomes available. The department has not shared any identifying details while next-of-kin notifications are still underway.
