By By Sheila Blackmon/The Meridian Star
July 4, 2001
NEWTON Police officials are waiting for dental records to confirm the identity of a body found behind a Chevron station off Highway 15 last week.
The body was found Thursday about 75 feet behind the service station, Newton Police Chief Harvey Curry said.
He said the exact cause of death has not been determined.
Officials estimate the person to have been dead for 30 days.
Meanwhile, Newton police are waiting for DNA samples to confirm the identity of a man found in a Magnolia Street trailer park almost a year ago. The remains were found inside an unoccupied trailer at Miller's Trailer Park July 14, 2000.
Samples were taken from the bones and sent to the FBI for testing in August 2000, Curry said. It takes six months to a year to get the results, he said.
Curry added that he has not heard from the crime lab yet. He said there have been no further developments in the case since the samples were sent.
The DNA samples may be their last chance to identify the man. The body was estimated to have been inside the trailer for three to four weeks. Investigators tried comparing dental records, but the comparisons turned up no matches. No missing persons reports had been filed. Curry said he does not know if investigators will have to turn to DNA samples to identify the body found last week.
Sheila Blackmon is a staff writer for The Meridian Star. Call her at 693-1551, ext. 3275, or e-mail her at sblackmon@themeridianstar.com.