Investigators have zeroed in on two individuals who could be crucial in unraveling the mystery surrounding a grisly discovery under a Yonkers, New York bridge.
A handless, toothless, and charred body was found in a shopping cart early Monday morning, August 5, 2024, sparking a multi-jurisdictional investigation that has since led detectives to a Bronx apartment where more severed body parts were found.
The investigation took a dramatic turn when police responded to a fire under the Oak Street Bridge in Yonkers around 2 a.m. Upon extinguishing the flames, firefighters discovered the body inside the cart, launching a homicide investigation.
According to law enforcement sources, surveillance video captured two men pushing a cart down a street in the Bronx, and police believe it to be the same cart later found on fire in Yonkers.
Some media sources specify the cart was taken on a Metro-North train from the Bronx to Yonkers.
Further digging led authorities to 903 Rogers Place in the Bronx, where they executed a search warrant. Inside the apartment, the scene was even more macabre. Investigators discovered human remains in the kitchen, including hands in a pot and feet stored in a freezer. A firearm and drug paraphernalia were also recovered, suggesting a broader criminal operation might be at play.
“Whoever did this wanted to try their best to make sure the victim was never identified,” commented retired NYPD Chief Terry Monahan, highlighting the sinister nature of the crime. “The reason anyone would take out teeth, hands, and feet from an individual is to prevent identification. Once you remove the hands, you no longer can check fingerprints. You take off the teeth you can’t check dental records to see who the individual is.”
The investigation is now under the jurisdiction of the NYPD, with the Bronx District Attorney’s Office closely involved. Law enforcement officials believe the victim was killed elsewhere—possibly in the Bronx apartment—before being transported to Yonkers to be burned in an attempt to destroy evidence. The connection between the Yonkers and Bronx crime scenes was established through surveillance footage, which shows the suspects moving the cart from the Bronx to Yonkers.
Despite these developments, the case remains shrouded in uncertainty. The NYPD has not made any arrests, though they have identified two persons of interest seen on camera near the locations involved. These individuals are wanted for questioning as detectives work to piece together the sequence of events leading to the murder and disposal of the body.
Neighbors of the Bronx apartment building have expressed shock and fear following the discovery, with many describing the scene as something out of a nightmare. The apartment in question is located in the Longwood section of the Bronx, an area not unfamiliar with crime, though few would have expected such a horrifying event to unfold so close to home.
As investigators continue their work, the priority remains identifying the victim, a task complicated by the extensive measures taken to prevent recognition. The medical examiner’s office is conducting forensic tests on the remains and body parts to confirm the victim’s identity and determine the exact cause of death.
The NYPD is urging anyone with information to come forward, as the investigation continues to unfold across both Yonkers and the Bronx. The Crime Stoppers hotline has been activated for tips, with authorities hoping that public assistance might provide the breakthrough they need.