Authors Note: Some of the images linked in this article are graphic, and pertain to the Unidentified Deceased Individual found by Thornton High. Discretion is advised.

   (Image of police investigating the space in which the body was found)

On October 20th, 2022, an Unidentified Deceased Individual (UDI) was found on 9351 Washington Street, in the open field by Thornton High School. Students were the first to find the body and took a video before alerting the police. As of the writing of this article, roughly three months after the UDI was found, the body has not yet been identified.

The body was dated to be roughly six months old (when found) and appeared to have a gunshot in the left side, along with the skin of the head missing. The Thornton Police and Coroners Office have yet to release the determined cause of death of the individual. Unfortunately, despite our attempts to reach out to the Coroner’s Office and Police Department for more information, they have not yet responded. 

According to various students at Thornton High School, the body was “dumped” there. Various students have reported seeing an unidentified individual placing the body there that afternoon. After seeing the individual placing something down in the field, students investigated and found the UDI1. Various commenters on the case have pointed out that, according to this image3, the body had likely not been there long, due to the lack of dead vegetation surrounding the UDI. “… the grass surrounding the vegetation dies off at first around large decaying bodies because of the amount of nitrogen from the body…”2. 

However, the Thornton Police believe the body to be of a homeless person, whose death is likely not connected to the school. Whether or not an individual has placed the corpse there is unconfirmed by Police.

Any further updates regarding the case will appear here.

Sources:

1. Comment from student
2. Comment from farmer describing decomposition
3. Image Source

All images have been linked or credited in the Article.