The body of a man was discovered at an abandoned cabin in North Carolina, but was believed to be a Halloween corpse decoration by the landscaper.
China Grove Police discovered the body of Robert Owens, 34, on October 10, but could have found it a day sooner if it was reported.
The reason it wasn’t called in, is because the groundskeeper of the log cabin thought Owen’s nearly-naked body was a Halloween decoration while he was mowing the grass, and simply cut around it.
Family distraught victim’s body believed to be Halloween corpse decoration
“Don’t know how you can do that,” Owens’ sister Haley Shue told local outlet WJZY-TV. “Mow right beside someone and assume that they’re Halloween decorations at a house no one lives at.”
According to the police, the groundskeeper didn’t report the body, because he believed it to be a training dummy used by law enforcement, as “numerous law agencies” had been on the property over the last several years.
“I don’t know how he was mistaken for a Halloween decoration or a mannequin,” his mother, Brenda Bostian, said to WCCB TV. “He’s clearly a human.”
However, on a GoFundMe donation page to cover the costs of the victim’s funeral, his family did acknowledge that the property, which nobody lives at, has been used as a police K9 training ground for years.
Owens’ family last saw him on October 1, but his body was not located for another nine days, when he was found face down in the grass with virtually no clothing on.
An autopsy was performed in Raleigh, with preliminary findings ruling out any signs of assault or trauma to the body, and they are currently awaiting a toxicology report to determine the cause of Owens’ death.
But Shue told the outlet that a construction worker had seen cuts and scrapes on Owens’ arms that appeared to be defensive wounds.
While authorities claimed that there were no signs of foul play, his family questions their findings.
“He didn’t end up here in his socks and underwear face down,” Shue stated. Bostian added, “We will get justice, you will be caught.”
