Police in Oakland, California are saying that a man who went missing over two years ago, was found mummified within the walls of a convention center.
The body of 42-year-old Joseph Edward Mejica was discovered inside the walls of the Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center by construction crews in March.
Officials say a worker noticed what appeared to be a body within the walls of the building during the deconstruction process of some remodeling work.
While Mejica’s official cause of death is still pending, investigators are reporting that they believe his death was accidental.
Authorities also believe that Mejica may have died near the top of the wall and that the conditions in the walls helped preserve the body:

“Over time his body slowly decayed and slipped toward the bottom of the cavity space,” Lt. Frederick Shavies said in a March news conference. “No obvious trauma was observed to the victim’s skeletal remains. No obvious or unnatural trauma was found indicating foul play. Based on the positionality the victim’s body was found in, this tragic death is most likely an accidental death.”
Mejica was reported missing in August 2020. His family offered $5,000 for information regarding his disappearance.