Houston police reached out to Texas EquuSearch on Friday to assist in locating a man’s body inside a cluttered townhome in northwest Houston. The homeowner, who is said to be in his mid-70s, hasn’t been seen for months.
“I thought I had seen it all, but then I realized there was still so much more to discover,” Miller shared with ABC13.
When entering the townhome on Witte Road in the Spring Branch area, one must be equipped with hazmat suits, gloves, and masks. The space inside is so congested that there is barely any room to walk.
Neil Zimmerman, a neighbor and board member of the homeowner’s association at the Shadow Pines Townhomes, expressed his disbelief at the living conditions some people endure.
According to ABC13, residents in the area were well aware of the hoarding issue that had been developing over the years. They tried to assist the man until a state agency intervened, with plans to exterminate what he called his pet rats.
The overpowering smell could not be overlooked. Luis Miranda, a fellow HOA board member, took on the responsibility of investigating it.
“When I knocked, the moment I opened the screen, a pungent odor hit my nostrils,” Miranda recounted.
Houston police and fire crews were met by rats at the back of the townhome as they responded to the incident. Due to health and safety concerns, the teams had to delay their efforts to dig through the debris and uncover the man’s body.
“I didn’t expect us to clear away all the boxes. They simply collapsed on him,” Miller remarked.
The board members expressed their concern about the expensive hazmat bill that the HOA will have to cover in order to remove and clean the townhome. They expressed their regret that they were unable to assist the man earlier.
“It’s really heartbreaking. There’s no one here to take responsibility for him or even see how he’s doing,” expressed Miranda. “I genuinely believe that we did everything within our power, but we were left with no other options. We reached out to the authorities, but unfortunately, we couldn’t find any assistance for him.”
The body was removed from the scene by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences. They will determine the cause of death.
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