OAKLAND — The Alameda County coroner’s workplace has recognized a physique discovered final month inside a wall on the Henry J. Kaiser Conference Middle as an Oakland man lacking for greater than eighteen months.
Authorities mentioned they'd decided that the stays had been these of Joseph Mejica, 44, of Oakland. Contractors discovered Mejica’s physique round 1 p.m. March 9 whereas working to renovate the middle, which opened in 1915 however had been closed since 2005.
There have been few preliminary clues to the physique’s identification apart from that it appeared to have been there some time and didn't seem to have been concerned in foul play. Oakland police opened a murder investigation whereas coroner’s employees recovered the physique and started an post-mortem and different checks.
Coroner’s employees had been in a position to determine a tubular surgical medical plate, in addition to screws and different objects, that had been utilized in an ankle alternative, and checked its serial quantity in opposition to information at space hospitals, sheriff’s spokesman Lt. Ray Kelly mentioned Monday. Quickly after on March 23, Mejica’s identify got here up with a Highland Hospital document. From there, employees expedited a DNA pattern check, and obtained affirmation of Mejica’s identification on March 29, Kelly mentioned.
Mejica’s explanation for dying remained undetermined Monday, a standing that won't change because of the state of decomposition of his physique when it was discovered, Kelly added.
Final November, Oakland police issued a missing-persons report for Mejica. He was described as commonly frequenting homeless encampments in Oakland and was final seen August 20, 2020 close to sixth and Fallon streets.
Kelly mentioned coroner’s employees typically combed databases for such data when working to assist different county coroners’ places of work determine victims of California firestorms.
“Generally all we'd discover is a pacemaker or a rod or pin,” Kelly mentioned. “It’s widespread data in forensic pathology area to make use of these strategies, however on this case it was truly very useful.”
DNA testing for a lot of our bodies, which may take a number of weeks when ranging from an unknown identification and ready on present processing backlogs, was expedited on this case by the database hit, he mentioned.
“A part of the rationale why we do that work is to convey solutions to households when their beloved one disappears,” Kelly mentioned. “It’s by no means good to have a beloved one which’s vanished, particularly as a mother or father.”
Alameda County Sheriff Gregory Ahern took pains to reward efforts by coroner’s employees to determine Mejica and share phrase together with his household.
“Whether or not it’s a case like this mummified physique, a murder or automobile accident, many instances the story goes away,” Ahern mentioned partly Monday. “Quite a lot of work goes into accumulating the stays, transport to the coroner’s bureau, exhibiting compassion for the deceased, the post-mortem course of and documentation. These notifications are by no means simple. It’s incredible work that they do.”
Contact George Kelly at 408-859-5180.