Arlington Hts. police working to ID body parts

Arlington Heights police are continuing to work with regional law enforcement officials and examine missing persons data as investigators try to identify the man whose body was discovered behind an Arlington Heights apartment complex.

"They are very intent on trying to determine the identity," said Mayor Arlene Mulder on Sunday. "That is going to give some indication of perhaps why this happened."

Police were not providing further information Sunday. Officials at the Cook County medical examiner's office also had no additional comment, citing "a pending police investigation."

Medical examiner's officials on Saturday said the body was that of a white male severed just above the pelvis by a sharp instrument, such as a blade. The office could not determine the victim's identity or age, or the time of the victim's death.

A spokeswoman also said they could not determine exactly how the victim died, or if he had been killed before being cut. His body remains at the medical examiner's office.

The man was found late Friday near a Dumpster behind the Marketview Apartments, 21 N. Dryden Place. Mulder credited garbage workers for alerting police by calling 911.

Police discovered the body on the ground next to trash receptacles. It had been wrapped in an extra-large black garbage bag.

Police said a canvass of the neighborhood determined the remains were most likely deposited near the Dumpsters sometime after 7 a.m. Wednesday.

Dismemberment has been a tool employed by some street gangs.

But Robert Walker, a gang expert who has testified in trials involving gang members in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Texas and Virginia, said it is too soon to say the Arlington Heights victim's murder was gang-related.

However, he added, "If you're trying to make a statement, why would you hide the body? That doesn't make sense, does it?"

Meanwhile, residents of the apartment complex are trying to come to terms with Friday's discovery.

"All the building is scared," said Jorge Nebrez, who has lived in the complex for seven years. "It's the first time we found something like that."

Nebrez said he doesn't remember any other crime associated with the building, adding that he has seen no evidence of a gang presence in the complex.

"I'm OK here. Everything is OK here. This is a special case."

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<li><a href="/story/?id=374038">Part of human body found in bag behind Arlington Heights apartments <span class="date">[4/17/10]</span></a></li>

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