CO Grand Junction - Human remains found in freezer - 12 Jan 2024

[ClaireNC]

Human head, hands found in freezer at recently-sold Colorado house
Authorities are now investigating a possible homicide after the grisly discovery at a home on Pinyon Avenue in Grand Junction that neighbors said had recently been sold.​

A neighbor, who declined to be identified, told KREX that the new owners posted on social media inviting people to pick up “free stuff” that had been left in the home. While cleaning out one of those items – a deep freezer in the garage – the human remains were found in a black bag underneath frozen animal meat.

After discovery of human head and hands, investigators in western Colorado attempt to identify remains​

The house is located on the 2900 block of Pinyon Avenue. Pinyon Avenue is close to the intersection of Orchard Avenue and 28 3/4 Road.
The investigation is being treated as a homicide. "Our hope is to positively identify the victim while remaining respectful of the victim and the victim's family." Officials from the sheriff's office say extensive testing on the human remains is in progress. They said "these types of tests take a significant amount of time" but didn't go into detail about what tests are being performed.

 

[Ryan1271]

Oddly, there isn't a recent sale listed on the Mesa County Assessor's property search. The property was owned (according to the Assessor's site) by a husband and wife until the husband died in 2021. His death certificate was attached to the record on 11/20/2023, and that's the most recent document on there.

However, I was able to find a General Warranty Deed transferring the property from the owner still listed on the Assessor's property search to a house flipping enterprise on 1/12/2024...the same day the initial remains were found, according to the Mesa County Sheriff's Office.

The previous owners seem like the most obvious suspects, but i did find some news reports and a blog post by a local that state they were hoarders--which the most recent google street view would also suggest. Depending on exactly how they acquired all that they had, it strikes me that it's not impossible that they bought the freezer already full of meat. Not the most likely answer, of course, but not out of the realm of possibility.

 

[ClaireNC]

According to news reports, it sounds like the freezer was in an outbuilding or garage, so it might have been accessible to people not connected to the family that used to live there. Never know what might be found in severe hoarding situations. The remains and the meat in that freezer could have been there for many years. I think the family had been living there since 2006.

I think the wife and an adult son were living there until recently.

 

[Clearsky]

Human Head and Hands Discovered at Newly Sold Colorado Home: Authorities

Authorities confirmed that human remains discovered at a recently sold home in Colorado consisted of a head and hands.

people.com

Authorities confirmed that human remains discovered at a recently sold home in Colorado consisted of a head and hands.

 

[investikater]

Oh man what a nightmare. Moving is already hard enough

 

[TMorgan68]

Wonder if prior owner passed away. surely they would not sell with that freezer holding the parts knowing a head can be ID'd thru dental and hands thru finger prints.

 

[Ryan1271]

That matches the records I saw.

Be interesting to know if any missing persons from the area have any connection to the owners who just sold, the owners before them, or that neighborhood in general.

 

[investikater]

Hands and head suggests who ever is responsible was concerned about identification of the body.

The head and hands were stashed in the freezer for thinking time while they worked out how to dispose of them securely?

Just speculating

 

[imstilla.grandma]

A neighbor, Sam Troester, told NBC affiliate KUSA in Denver that the previous homeowners — an elderly mother and her son — had moved out on the morning of Jan. 12 and new owners showed up that same day to begin clearing the property. The homebuyers had posted online to invite people to collect scrap metal and take other materials left behind in the yard and garage, including a freezer, Troester said.

But when investigators in hazmat gear later arrived, Troester took cellphone video of the unusual scene across the street.

Unexpectedly, people who had been on the property knocked on her door asking to use her restroom, and she wanted to know what was happening.

"They continued to tell me that they opened the freezer and they were taking the meat that was on top out, to empty it out so they could transport it," Troester said. "They moved the old freeze-dried meat, took out a black bag."

"They were opening it," she added, "and they said a head fell out."

Human body parts found at newly bought Colorado home spur investigation

Authorities in Mesa County are attempting to determine the identity of the remains, which were discovered in a freezer when new owners were clearing the property.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[Ssschu]

A neighbor, Sam Troester, told NBC affiliate KUSA in Denver that the previous homeowners — an elderly mother and her son — had moved out on the morning of Jan. 12 and new owners showed up that same day to begin clearing the property. The homebuyers had posted online to invite people to collect scrap metal and take other materials left behind in the yard and garage, including a freezer, Troester said.

But when investigators in hazmat gear later arrived, Troester took cellphone video of the unusual scene across the street.

Unexpectedly, people who had been on the property knocked on her door asking to use her restroom, and she wanted to know what was happening.

"They continued to tell me that they opened the freezer and they were taking the meat that was on top out, to empty it out so they could transport it," Troester said. "They moved the old freeze-dried meat, took out a black bag."

"They were opening it," she added, "and they said a head fell out."

Human body parts found at newly bought Colorado home spur investigation

Authorities in Mesa County are attempting to determine the identity of the remains, which were discovered in a freezer when new owners were clearing the property.

www.nbcnews.com

Yikes! I can't imagine a more traumatizing surprise!

 

[arielilane]

According to the podcast the neighbors referred to the house as "the house of hoarders." The previous people that lived there (Bradley & L & fam) had flooding in May 2021, and were living in a hotel while dealing w/insurance & constructors getting the home repairs worked out. In June 2021, Bradley got sick w/covid and died July 2021 (covid related).


JoScot reposted
New #Colorado homeowners discover a chilling surprise in their garage freezer left by previous owners—a human head and hands! Listen to the full story on #BodyBags with @JoScottForensic: https://apple.co/3uAXusn

https://twitter.com/x/status/1757427108500967434

 

[arielilane]

Human head found in freezer after house sold

A severed head was discovered at a property near Denver, Colorado, last Friday.

www.newsweek.com

Updated Jan 18, 2024 at 6:45 AM EST

Bradley IMER Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Many who visit our Legacy Funeral Home's website simply wish to view an obituary or online tribute. If that is true for you, please look to your left for the related details.

memorials.legacyfuneralhomegj.com

 

[lightofmine99]

The head and hands can't be Mr. Imer, can it?

 

[Charlot123]

Hands and head suggests who ever is responsible was concerned about identification of the body.

The head and hands were stashed in the freezer for thinking time while they worked out how to dispose of them securely?

Just speculating

An old British joke about memory loss that sounded so funny in my youth might turn a true story, after all. Someone hides the identifying parts, maybe waiting for the time to safely dispose of the remnants. Then the span of almost 20 years + post-Covid issues render the perpetrator feeble of memory, then the person is transferred to geriatric care and someone buys the property. The new owners graciously advertise “free stuff” on a neighborhood community FB, et voila…
Another version: whoever did it, planned to keep the objects there till his own death.

 

[arielilane]

The head and hands can't be Mr. Imer, can it?

I dont think so.

From the Newsweek article posted upthread:

An unidentified neighbor told Western Slope Now: "As far as I can gather, the gentleman was taking care of his mom. They never really had many people over."

So, could it be Bradley's mother? moo

LE have not released any info (to date) about victim's identification other than its a homicide. An autopsy was done.