The skeleton of a man who had been missing for 15 years was found in his former home in Erstroff (Moselle). It was the new owners of the house who discovered the body.
The remains of a man were found at his home in Erstroff, in Moselle, 15 years after his disappearance, by the new owners of the house, Sarreguemines public prosecutor Olivier Glady said on Monday.
“It is a remains reduced to the state of a skeleton which was discovered on Saturday afternoon. It was in an outbuilding which is adjoining the main house, in an inaccessible place, under the roof of this outbuilding, of which the “access was almost hidden,” explained Olivier Glady, confirming information from the Lorraine Republican.
The discovery was made by people who bought this house in 2023 and have been renovating it since. “It was while looking for the causes of rainwater infiltration into the roof that one of the owners somewhat inadvertently accessed this cubbyhole, in which he discovered the skeletal remains,” said the prosecutor.
Disappeared in 2009
The skeleton was sent to the Strasbourg Forensic Institute to be identified but “it is quite likely” that it is the former owner of the house, a man who disappeared in 2009 at the age of 81 years.
According to the Lorraine Republican, his disappearance remained unexplained and numerous searches had been organized to try to find him. His wife died in 2020 and the house was subsequently sold.
“The scene of discovery of the body is suggestive of a suicide,” said the prosecutor, who specified that a rope had been found still hanging in the attic.
The Forbach investigation brigade is responsible for the investigation into the search for the causes of death.
