A grim discovery behind a northeast Harris County strip mall has shaken an Aldine family, after a woman believed to be in her 60s was found dead inside a dumpster on Thursday. Relatives who had been out searching for her came across the body behind a business in the 3900 block of Aldine Mail Route Road just after 11 a.m., authorities said. Deputies pronounced her dead at the scene and have launched an investigation into when and how she died.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office is leading the case. HCSO Homicide Sgt. Sidney Miller told Click2Houston that the family started combing the area after learning the woman’s vehicle had been towed from a nearby parking lot. Their search ultimately led them to the dumpster and the body inside. Miller said deputies could not yet determine whether there were signs of trauma, and investigators also do not know how long the body had been in the dumpster. Detectives are reviewing surveillance video from the strip center to try to nail down a timeline.
Investigators Ask Public for Tips
Authorities have asked anyone who might know what happened to contact the sheriff’s office. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office maintains a news and media page with press releases and contact information. For tips, HCSO's Homicide Unit is typically reachable at 713-274-9100 and Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS, as reported by ABC13.
Family’s Search and Dumpster-Diving Context
Sgt. Miller said the woman was known to “dumpster dive” and that was how she made her living, a detail Click2Houston reported. Deputies processed the scene while the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences prepares to examine the body and determine the cause and manner of death.
Case Echoes Past Northeast Harris County Discoveries
Investigators in northeast Harris County have confronted similar scenes before, including cases in which human remains turned up in ditches or in trash, complicating efforts to preserve evidence once it is exposed to the elements. ABC13's reporting on earlier Aldine-area incidents has underscored how challenging it can be to pinpoint timelines and causes of death in these types of investigations.
