charred body found in dumpster › november crime report › other police matters › deadmonton 2007 › deadmonton › edmonton

Police were called to investigate circumstances surrounding the discovery of a dead body found in a burning dumpster.

Fire crews were called to the south end of the Greyhound Bus station building at 10324 103 Street at about 5:30 a.m. November 22nd, 2007 to attend to garbage bin engulfed in flames.

Once personnel attacked the blaze they discovered the body of a dead person inside the container and called police.

Police closed off the intersection, disrupting morning rush hour traffic as they scoured the area for any clues that might explain the suspicious death.

The investigation continues with homicide detectives in charge of the matter.

"There's nothing obvious standing out right now" as to the cause of the fire or the cause of death, Det. Bill Clark said while addressing media at the scene. "This could be just a guy who went in, started a fire to keep warm."

Overnight temperatures in the city ranged from -8 to -5 Celsius.

The entire dumpster was taken to the medical examiner's office for further inspection, marking a rare occasion when an entire crime scene was moved.

An autopsy was hoped to determine if the person was alive or not when the fire started.

The fire was first notice at 3:30 a.m. by Greyhound maintenance worker Hussein Carranza.

"I looked inside, but there was too much flames coming up," Carrabza told media after speaking with police.

Carranza said he threw a bucket of water on the fire, shut the lid and went home thinking the fire would extinguish itself. Emergency services were called by a Greyhound driver and a dispatcher about two hours later.

Det. Clark added video from several cameras in the area would be examined by police. One camera overlooked the gate next to the dumpster.

The next day came word that the medical examiner had ruled the death as non-criminal.

Video surveillance tapes revealed a man climbing into the bin and later setting a small fire.

“He went into the dumpster and at some point lit a fire that got out of control,” said Det. Bill Clark.

The intensity of the fire in such a confined space did so much damage to the body that the medical examiner was unable to obtain fingerprints, Clark said.

“He was too badly burned and we need help identifying him,” Clark told reporters.

Police revealed what details they could of the body based on the examiner's report. The man was described as five feet seven inches tall, weighing 120 to 132 pounds, with brown eyes.

It was estimated he was at least 50 years old based on the degenerative condition of his vertebrae. The man had no teeth and probably had not had any for the past 10 to 20 years, Clark said.

Despite the man's clothing being badly burned, investigators have determined he was wearing a red "Tennessee River Brand" T-shirt, an aqua or turquoise Eddie Bauer shirt, olive or taupe "Nevada Brand" pants and size 7 1/2 to 8 1/2 hiking-style boots with Vibrum soles.

Police also said they wanted to speak to a man who talked to the dumpster fire victim at about 2:45 a.m., before the fire started. Another man was also nearby.

Those with information were asked to contact Edmonton police at 423-4567, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or online at www.tipsubmit.com - a secure tip submission web site.

At a December 3rd, 2007 press conference dealing with the murder two days earlier of Wesel Arabi, Det. Bill Clark offered details of efforts to identify the burned man.

"I think we had five or six names given to us from northern Alberta and B.C. We managed to track down four of those, meaning we've tracked them down and they're doing fine," Clark said.

The detective explained it has been difficult because most of the people they've been searching for are homeless and difficult to find.

Clark said the body was so badly damaged that only DNA testing would positively identify the person.

Comparing DNA samples between family members was a lengthy process, Clark said.

The fire and the man's death remains under investigation by the arson unit.

The Edmonton Emergency Relief Services Society is located across the street from the Greyhound bus terminal.

Relief worker Cindi Hacha said someone is found sleeping in her organisation's dumpster about once a week, depending on the weather.

"We lock the dumpster now because sometimes when it's dumped off and in the morning we'll open up and we see the fellas in there with coats or blankets or whatever they can get to cover themselves up," said Hache.

The fire death of a likely homeless person was the second in three months.

On September 26th, 2007 police were called by fire personnel when a smoldering body was found below a retaining wall behind the Valhalla Condominiums at 11307 99 Avenue.

Results of an autopsy concluded later ruled the death as "non-criminal in nature." The medical examiner's office did not release the name of the about sixty-year-old man.

Two other dumpster deaths were recalled by investigators.

On May 18th, 2004 46-year-old Cheryl Lynn Black was found in a fire-blistered dumpster outside the Walterdale Playhouse at 103 Street and 83 Avenue. Despite the offer of a $40,000 award for information leading to an arrest and conviction her slaying has never been solved.

"It brought back everyone's memories to that one," said Det. Bill Clark.

Black's body was so badly burned police initially couldn't determine who she was or even her gender. It took three months for the medical examiner's office to identify Black, but a cause of death was unable to be pinpointed.

Police theorised Black had been living on city streets and in shelters for about a year, earning money through bottle-picking.

In August 2001, 18-year-old Patricia Lee Belcourt was found dead in a dumpster behind an apartment building at 114th Street and 106th Avenue. An autopsy determined she had been strangled to death after warding off a sexual assault at a downtown house party.

A 17-year-old man was charged with her murder. Police said Belcourt's body was dragged to the dumpster, doused with lighter fluid and left to burn.

deadmonton 2007 - november crime report - charred body found in dumpster