Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Construction workers in Oakland, California, discovered a mummified body hidden in the wall of the Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center last month. The convention center has been closed since 2005 and is currently undergoing a massive restoration project.
On Tuesday (April 19), the Alameda County Coroner's Bureau announced they had identified the remains as 42-year-old Joseph Edward Mejica.
While his body was severely decomposed, the coroner's office was able to identify him using the serial number of a tubular plate in his ankle. They then used DNA to confirm that it was Mejica's body.
Mejica was last seen on August 22, 2020, and was reported missing by his mother one month later.
When the body was discovered in March, officials said they believed his death was an accident.
"Over time, his body slowly decayed and slipped toward the bottom of the cavity space," Lt. Frederick Shavies said during a press conference when the body was found. "No obvious trauma was observed to the victim's skeletal remains. No obvious or unnatural trauma was found, indicating foul play. Based on the positionality the victim's body was found in, this tragic death is most likely an accidental death."
The coroner's office did not release a cause of death, but officials still believe Mejica's death to be a tragic accident.
"We're very proud of the work we've completed at the coroner's bureau," Alameda County Sheriff Gregory Ahern told the San Francisco Chronicle. "Without their thoroughness, this could have been a continued missing person. We're glad we could have some resolution and conclusion for the family."