The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating the circumstances surrounding the discovery of a body yesterday afternoon in the 5900 block of East Capitol Street, SE.

At approximately 3 pm on Tuesday, May 13, 2007, police working in the 5900 block of East Capitol Street, SE, received information about the possibility that human remains had been found at that location. Officers subsequently entered an abandoned apartment building in that block and discovered what appeared to be the remains of a deceased person. The body was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the District of Columbia where an autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause and manner of death in this case.

At this time the identity, age, race and gender of the deceased remains unknown pending further forensic investigation. This case remains under investigation by detectives from the department’s Homicide and Sexual Offenses Branch.