A New Zealand family bought a suitcase from an auction at a storage facility which they discovered contained human remains. Police are now investigating.
As they were unpacking the items they purchased from the auction in their South Auckland home, they made the grim discovery and informed police.
New Zealand Police are investigating the remains as a homicide and are trying to identify the deceased occupant of the suitcase. The family who purchased the remains are not believed to have been involved with the death of the impedimentaly entombed.
Last Thursday the family bought a “trailer-load of goods” from a local storage facility. The suitcase turned crypt was included in that purchase.
According to Detective Inspector Tofilau Faamanuia Vaaelua, the family did not realize that they illegally purchased a corpse until they unwittingly brought the contraband home.
“We appreciate there is significant public interest in what has occurred,” Faamanuia Vaaelua said. “However given the nature of the discovery, there are still a number of inquiries to be carried out.”
According to online media outlet, Stuff, multiple neighbors reported a “wicked smell” coming from the family’s property prior to police arriving on scene.
One of those neighbors, who worked previously at a crematorium claimed that the smell was “immediately recognizable. According to the neighbor, he “knew straight away” what the smell was and “thought, where is that coming from?”
Another neighbor said “I feel sorry for the family because they’ve got nothing to do with it. And whoever did do it, come on, front up. It’s a bit unfair, bro. It’s horrific.”
New Zealand Police officials stated that their number one priority is to “confirm the identification of the deceased, so that we can establish the full circumstances behind the discovery”.
Police anticipate that given the “nature of the discovery”, there may be a delay in informing the deceased’s next of kin.
