A mummified body found in the walls of a California convention center last month has been identified as a 42-year-old man reported missing nearly two years ago, officials said Tuesday.
The body of Joseph Edward Mejica “was preserved in good conditions” when it was found by a construction crew doing remodeling work at the Oakland Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center in March, according to Lt. Ray Kelly of the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office. It’s likely Mejica died near the top of the wall and that he fell further down as his body decayed, officials said.
“Over time, his body slowly decayed and slipped toward the bottom of the cavity space,” said Lt. Frederick Shavies at the time. “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.”
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Mejica’s family reported him missing in August 2020, offering a $5,000 award for any information.
His cause of death is still under investigation, although officials believe it may have been accidental.
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“Any theory is possible,” Kelly said. “It could be anything from someone who got in behind the wall and became trapped and died to someone put the person there. God only knows.”
