BEAUMONT, Texas — Beaumont Police say that they believe that they have potentially identified the body found in "advanced stages of decomposition" on College Street on Tuesday night.
Officers responded to the 1300 block of College St. at 9:38 p.m. last Tuesday after receiving a report that a body was located behind a property between a fence and a neighboring building.
Police say it has been a challenge to identify the body due to the body's advanced state of decomposition.
Detectives believe that the remains belong to a Caucasian or Hispanic man, 30 to 40 years old, between 5'10" and 6'. He was missing a tooth on his front bottom jaw, which is believed to have been lost before he died, according to the departments release.
Detectives say forensic analysis suggests that the man died about two weeks ago.
Today, BPD told 12News that several officers have reported that Fabien Hernandez, a man experiencing homelessness who frequented the area, fits that description. They additionally say that they have not seen Hernandez in several weeks.
Therefore, the department says their officers are currently searching for him to attempt to check on his welfare.
Anyone with information regarding the recent whereabouts of Fabian Hernandez or any recent associates of Mr. Hernandez are urged to contact Beaumont Police Department Detectives at 409-832-1234 or Southeast Texas Crime Stoppers at 409-833-TIPS(8477).
The department says this is a potential lead, but that they cannot confirm any other details until the remains undergo further analysis at The Center for Human Identification on the campus of the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth. Beaumont Police say that process will take some time.
Investigators are still trying to determine a cause of death.
This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.
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