Gardener Discovers Body Mistaken for Halloween Decor or Dummy
In a perplexing turn of events, a gardener stumbled upon a grim discovery when he unwittingly mowed around a dead body, believing it to be part of Halloween decorations or a training prop. This unusual incident occurred near Charlotte, North Carolina, on the 10th of October.
The body had gone unnoticed the day before by a groundskeeper, who initially assumed it to be "a fake dummy used for training" and proceeded to mow the grass around it. Regrettably, this led to the delay in reporting the discovery to the police. It was only the next day when a building worker on the premises reported the incident.
The identity of the deceased was confirmed as Robert Paul Owens, a 34-year-old man. His sister, Haley Shue, expressed her family's heartbreak over the delay in reporting her brother's body, stating that it remained exposed for an extended period, making it impossible for them to hold an open casket memorial.
Ms. Shue suggested the possibility of foul play, describing her brother as a kind individual who cherished his nieces and nephews. She recounted that the groundskeeper had found Mr. Owens "face down in his underwear and socks, with one arm under him and one arm out, bearing marks on his arms that appeared defensive."
She also raised questions about the absence of her brother's personal belongings, such as his clothes, wallet, cellphone, and shoes. The construction worker who ultimately reported the body told the family that the groundskeeper had "assumed that [my brother] was Halloween decor or a mannequin and mowed the entire property without verification."
Mr. Owens had last been seen by his family on the 8th of October when he left to visit a friend and did not return. The abandoned log cabin where he was found was an unfamiliar location for him, situated near their grandmother's residence where he had been living.
Initial findings from an autopsy conducted on Friday revealed no signs of assault or trauma, according to the police. They are now awaiting a toxicology report to determine the cause of death.