Human remains were discovered inside a building in the 3200 block of Indiana Avenue in South St. Louis on Thursday, prompting the St. Louis Medical Examiner's Office to respond to the scene. Two people were detained for questioning, and the building where the remains turned up was reportedly condemned.
The discovery, first reported by KMOV, happened in the Benton Park neighborhood, a residential stretch near Cherokee Street and Arsenal Street known for its 19th-century brick architecture and ongoing redevelopment, according to Trulia. The outlet's report notes that the medical examiner was called to the building after the remains were found, and that the structure had reportedly been condemned.
Two Detained, But No Charges Yet
Police detained two people for questioning in connection with the discovery, though it remains unclear whether they will face charges. Under Missouri Revised Statutes § 544.170, officers who detain someone without a warrant may hold that person for a maximum of 24 hours before they must either file formal charges or release them, as outlined by the Revised Statutes of Missouri. The statute sets a general limit on detention without a warrant.
Should investigators determine the remains were deliberately left or hidden without being reported to authorities, Missouri law provides another avenue for prosecutors. Missouri Revised Statutes § 194.425 makes it a felony to abandon, dispose of, desert, or leave a dead body without reporting its location to law enforcement, per the Revised Statutes of Missouri. It is not yet known whether that statute will factor into the case.
A Condemned Building in a City Grappling With Vacancy
The building's reported condemned status points to a broader citywide issue. In St. Louis, condemnations and vacant-structure code enforcement fall under the Building Division within the Department of Public Safety, which inspects unsafe properties, issues board-up orders, and handles emergency demolitions tied to code violations or public complaints, according to the City of St. Louis. The Land Reutilization Authority also manages vacant properties in the city.
South St. Louis has seen condemnation enforcement play out before. The Concord Apartments complex was condemned in February. Whether the Indiana Avenue building had been actively secured or occupied by squatters at the time the remains were found has not been disclosed.
Identification Could Hinge on Forensic Genealogy
No identification or cause of death has been released for the remains found inside the building. When recovered remains cannot be identified through conventional fingerprints or dental records, medical examiner's offices increasingly turn to forensic anthropology and investigative genetic genealogy partnerships to establish identity, according to the Ramapo College IGG Center.
No further details have been released about the identity of the deceased, the cause of death, or whether either of the two people detained for questioning will ultimately face charges. Hoodline will continue to follow the investigation as the St. Louis Medical Examiner's Office and police release additional information.
