[symple_googlemap title=”Riverside Wal-Mart” location=” 5200 Van Buren Blvd., Riverside, CA” height=”300″ zoom=”15″]
Pomona police have taken over the homicide investigation following a woman’s discovery of a decaying body inside her car’s trunk, as she tried to put away groceries outside a Riverside Walmart.
The victim was Miguel Angel Perez, 33, according to Pomona Sgt. Steve Congalton.
Detectives had no clue yet how he had died, or been located in the trunk.
The discovery was made by his neighbor, a woman whose 1999 Lexus was parked outside the Walmart at 5200 Van Buren Blvd. at 4:45 p.m. Saturday, said Riverside police Det. David Amador.
“Detectives were able to determine that the victim more than likely died in the City of Pomona,” Amador said. “Pomona homicide detectives have assumed the investigation,” he said.
“The vehicle was registered to an address in Pomona and the owner/driver of the vehicle also lives in Pomona,” Congalton said. “The owner of the vehicle left Pomona and went to work in Riverside early on Saturday morning.
“After work, at approximately 1600 hours (4 p.m.), the owner of the vehicle detected an odor in her vehicle,” he said. “She stopped at the Walmart in Riverside to do some shopping and attempt to locate whatever was causing the odor.
“It was at this time the body was located in the trunk,” Congalton said.
“The owner of the vehicle recognized the decedent as an acquaintance from her Pomona neighborhood. It is believed that the body was in the trunk at the time the owner drove to work in Riverside. Based on these facts, the Pomona Police Department responded and took over the investigation,” he said.
Detectives “were unable to determine a cause of death or how the body got into the trunk,” Congalton said. “The owner of the vehicle is cooperating with Police and is not considered to be a suspect,” he said.
Police asked anyone with information to call detectives at (909) 620- 2085, or Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8877.
— City News Service