Miami Gardens Police Ask For Public's Help After Man's Body Found In Van
MIAMI GARDENS (CBS4)- Miami Gardens police is asking for the public's help after a man's body was discovered inside a van in a residential neighborhood.
According to police, a 2011 black Dodge Caravan was located at an abandoned house at the 800 block of 168th Terrace in Miami Gardens on Monday. CBS4's Peter D'Oench reported that the van was at the location for six days before police were called.
Miami Gardens Police Chief Matthew Boyd said the van was there since Wednesday of last week and police were called when a foul odor was noticed.
"We noticed a foul odor and we saw a male in back of the vehicle," Boyd said.
Until that odor was noticed, neighbors in the area said they did not think twice about the vehicle.
"What we're trying to do is find anyone who has seen someone around that vehicle with an African American male exiting that vehicle," Boyd said. "And we want to see if anyone recognizes the vehicle outside the abandoned house."
Boyd told D'Oench that the Dodge Caravan was rented in Broward and reported missing on Tuesday of last week.
Hours after it was discovered, police took it to the Miami-Dade medical examiner's office for processing.
"It's a regular Dodge Caravan, with dark tinted windows," Boyd said. "It has nothing major with it. It's just a regular caravan."
It's not known when the victim was killed, D'Oench reported.
Boyd issued a plea to the public.
"If anyone saw anyone around this vehicle, we'd like to know," he said. "If you saw it anywhere with an African American person around it, some should give us a call."
Boyd said the department is looking for answers.
"Any homicide is taken very seriously by our staff here in Miami Gardens," he said. "We try to solve as many cases as we can. But this would mean a great deal to us if we could solve this case."
The victim was shot at least once, according to D'Oench.
It's not known if he's from Miami-Dade or Broward and he may have been killed somewhere other than Miami Gardens.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.
