Homeowner Finds Skeleton in Chimney, Fontana CA, 2/23/09 [ID: HENRY CHAVEZ BARRIGA]

[TigressPen]

Homeowner Finds Skeleton in Chimney


KTLA News

February 24, 2009

FONTANA -- A new homeowner in Fontana got quite a shock after he spotted a man's skeletal remains inside his chimney.

The owner was remodeling his home in the 6200 block of Knox Avenue Monday morning when he opened the damper, noticed an odor coming from the chimney and checked inside.

He then spotted a full skeleton, wearing clothes, about 8 feet down from the top, Fontana police Sgt. Jeff Decker said.

The owner called police around 9:30 a.m.

Decker said investigators consulted an anthropologist who helped them determine the approximate height, age and the gender of the man.

He was about 5'8 inches tall, around 50 years old, and had been inside the chimney for at least a year, Decker said.

The San Bernardino County coroner's office found no signs of trauma.

The man's identity was not immediately released.

Investigators believe the man became stuck while trying to enter the home through the top of the chimney.

The foreclosed home had been vacant for three years and the new owner just purchased it, Decker said.

The investigation is on-going.



http://www.ktla.com/landing_mostinteresting/?Homeowner-Finds-Skeleton-in-Chimney=1&blockID=221971&feedID=1080

[Nut44x4]

This is just too weird.....the home was vacant...why go down the chimney to get in?? Bust a window or remove boarded up window...perhaps....break down a door, sure, why not??...go down the chimney.....??? I THINK NOT!! LOL!
New homeowner finds skeletal remains in chimney
Submitted by SHNS on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 14:04. By DAYNA STRAEHLEY, The Press-Enterprise national
Fontana police are investigating the discovery this week of the skeletal remains of a man found in the chimney of a house.

The new owner of the home discovered the remains while remodeling. The foreclosed house had been vacant for three years and the owner had just purchased it, Fontana police Sgt. Jeff Decker said.

The bones of a man, probably about 5 feet, 8 inches tall and about 50 years old, had been there at least a year, Decker said.

Investigators consulted an anthropologist who helped them determine the approximate height, age and the gender of the man, Decker said.

The skeleton was clothed.

Police and the San Bernardino County coroner's office didn't notice any signs of trauma on the remains and don't believe it was homicide, but they are still investigating, Decker said.

"We have no evidence to lead us to believe he was the victim of anything other than being stuck in a chimney," he said.

The owner opened the fireplace damper, noticed an odor and checked the chimney, then called police after finding the body.

The full skeleton was found about 8 feet down from the top, and the position indicated that the man had come down from the top and was working his way down before becoming stuck, Decker said.

http://www.scrippsnews.com/node/41188

Can't wait for the whole story....

[packy]

Would there still be an odor from a skeleton that had been there a year?

I'm assuming from the media article contact addy that this is in CA so if I added the wrong location please let me know.

It doesn't seem to make sense that someone would try to go down a chimney if the house was vacant.

[Nut44x4]

Yep...it's California.

[Nut44x4]

Cops work to ID bones found in chimney

Fontana house gives up 3-year-old secret

FONTANA--There are more questions than answers in the bizarre case of a man’s skeletal remains found wedged inside a chimney.

Investigators estimate the unidentified middle-aged man died up to two years ago.

The home on Knox Avenue had been unoccupied for three years. The coroner says the new homeowner had been renovating the recently-purchased house and made the grim discovery Monday.

The body was clad in a blue hooded sweatshirt with the logo “New York”.

Police are trying to determine if foul play is involved and the man’s identity.

http://www.inlandnewstoday.com/story.php?s=6842 Photo at link

[sarahhod]

Body in found Fontana chimney identified as transient

10:00 PM PST on Thursday, February 26, 2009

By PAUL LAROCCO

The Press-Enterprise Skeletal remains found in the chimney of a long-vacant Fontana home were identified Thursday as a 48-year-old transient missing nearly two years, police said.
Henry Chavez Barriga was identified through a cousin who called detectives Wednesday. She saw news reports and recognized the description of clothing found with the bones, said Fontana police Sgt. Jeff Decker.
The identity was confirmed by comparing medical X-rays of Barriga's skull with the remains.


http://www.pe.com/imagesdaily/2009/02-27/bones27_300.jpg


Decker said there is no evidence of foul play. An autopsy will be conducted today.
Most likely, Barriga became stuck in the chimney while trying to enter the vacant home in the 6200 block of Knox Avenue sometime in spring 2007.
An aunt reported him missing in May of that year, Decker said.
"He was noted to be up there frequently," Decker said of the older north Fontana neighborhood.
At the time of his disappearance, Barriga was on probation for a felony conviction of petty theft with priors, San Bernardino County Superior Court records show. That stemmed from a July 2005 arrest blocks from the house where his remains were found.
Jail records show that Barriga was arrested six times over 10 months in 2005. Many of those arrests -- on charges ranging from failure to appear in court to being under the influence of a controlled substance -- were within walking distance of the house at Knox and Carter avenues.
Barriga's remains were discovered Monday morning as the house was being renovated. Owner Pedro Lopez, who had been fixing the roof, smelled what he thought was a dead animal in the chimney.
When he checked, he found a human skeleton, still clothed in a hooded sweatshirt, jeans and white sneakers. The skeleton was feet down with the hands on the back of its head.
Coroner's investigators initially said identification could be difficult if there were no DNA samples or dental records.
"The X-rays became important," said coroner's spokeswoman Sandy Fatland. "Family knew he had been treated medically and we were able to obtain the records."

http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_W_bones27.40e40cd.html

[packy]

Glad that description of his clothes was made available. Another case in which the media was helpful. What a shame that this had to happen. May he rest in peace now.

[Roamer]

But what a terrible way to die.

R.I. P. Henry

[Amusedtdth]

But what a terrible way to die.

R.I. P. Henry

ITA, I couldn't imagine getting stuck and just "hanging" there until death settles in...poor man. He's in a much better place now.
RIP Henry ~ :1222423:

[Nut44x4]

Unbelieveable...how horrible! Geezeeeee...he must have been screaming for help...no one heard him?? OMG......how awful this is. I am sad for his family. This is unreal...

[Faith]

RIP Henry :1222423:

[annalyzer]

:1222423: