October 23, 2009

Two Suspicious Deaths on 39th Street

On October 23, 2009, at 3:12 p.m., Sacramento County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a field near Mascot Avenue and 32nd Avenue regarding the report of a man who had wheeled a garbage can into the field and dumped a body from the can. Deputies arrived and found the badly decomposed body of what appeared to be an adult female. There were no telltale signs as to the cause of her death.

Deputies learned the man wheeled the garbage can from 5704 39th Street, which is a short distance from the field. Deputies went to that address and contacted several adults. The man seen pushing the garbage can was eventually identified. He, along with other adult residents of the home, is being questioned by Sheriff’s Homicide detectives.

After obtaining a search warrant, Sheriff’s Homicide detectives, along with representatives from the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office, and the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Crime Lab, searched a second garbage can located on the property at 5704 39th Street. They discovered what appeared to be a second dead body. However, they were unable to determine the victim’s gender, age, or cause of death.

Sheriff’s detectives will treat both cases as homicides. The Sacramento County Coroner’s Officer will attempt to identify the victims and attempt to determine the victims’ cause and manner of death. They will also try to determine if these are the bodies of the female and male adults reported missing from the residence.

On October 13, 2009, deputies responded to 5704 39th Street to take a report regarding two missing persons. A woman who lived at that address reported her 23-year-old daughter and her daughter’s 24-year-old boyfriend missing. The deputy took a missing persons report, searched the home, and after talking to the woman found nothing that led him to believe foul play was involved in the disappearance of the two subjects. Therefore, they were categorized as voluntary missing adults and entered into a national missing persons’ database.

Anyone with information about these suspicious deaths is urged to call Sheriff’s Homicide detectives at (916) 874-5115 or Crime Alert at (916) 443-HELP; or send a text message tip by texting to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter SACTIP followed by the tip information. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.

Sergeant Tim Curran,
Sheriff's Spokesman