Homicide investigation launched following welfare check in Dayton; Family claims it’s missing person

DAYTON — A homicide investigation has been launched after a body that police believe could be connected to a missing persons case was recovered from a garage Thursday night.

Police were called to a house in the 400 block of Burkhardt Avenue after receiving some calls from people that had come to the garage to put a padlock on a door and then made a discovery.

“She pulled one of the boards off the back and the smell got really strong, so she called the cops,” Nicole Mulvaney said.

Mulvaney said her sister in law came to this home she owns to secure the garage Thursday night, but an overwhelming odor made her call for help.

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“The cops got here, they lifted it up and he is laying there, he’s been missing since July 15,” Mulvaney said

Mulvaney believes the man found dead is her brother Clinton “CJ” Pierce.

Family members believe Pierce was robbed murdered.

Mulvaney said the body was found covered with multiple rolls of padding.

She also said that only $3.50 were found on his person, which she finds odd.

“This man cashed his check and was found with $3.50, where’s the rest of his money?” Mulvaney said.

The discovery of the body answered a question the family has been asking since July, but not in the way they hoped.

“Emotions are everywhere right now ... we waited, we wanted answers but this is not the answer we wanted,” Mulvaney said.

Police have not confirmed that the man found was Pierce, but they do think it’s a strong possibility and are investigating the case as a homicide.

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“We are investigating the recovered body as possibly a missing person from about a month ago in July. We just can’t quite confirm that yet,” Major Brian Johns said.

Due to the condition of the body, police are unable to identify it at this time.

“Our first priority is trying to solve this case, which we believe to be a murder,” Johns said.

Johns said there are leads in the case that police are currently following up on.

We are working to learn more and will continue updating this story.

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