The residence at 142 Carlisle St., Wilkes-Barre, where a decomposed body was found in the basement on Feb. 27.
Times Leader File Photo
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Wilkes-Barre City Public Works deliver wood used to make steps at the scene where a body was found in a wooded area along the North Cross Valley Expressway in Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday.
Times Leader File Photo
WILKES-BARRE — A body found earlier this week in the wooded area behind Host Inn on Kidder Street is related to the weeks-long investigation on Carlisle Street where human remains were found in the basement, investigators announced Thursday.
Luzerne County Coroner Jillian Matthews, Police Chief Joseph Coffay, and Luzerne County District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce said in a joint statement that investigators are continuing to work on obtaining a positive identity of both bodies, each of which was found to have some degree of decomposition.
According to the statement, further information cannot be released at this time due to the sensitive nature of the investigation.
Further details that do not harm the integrity of the case will be made public as they become available, investigators said.
Anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact the Wilkes-Barre City Detective Division c/o Lt. Matthew Stash 570-208-0911 or Detective James Conmy 570-208- 6775.
The body was found at the bottom of a steep embankment behind Host Inn near Exit 1 of the North Cross Valley Expressway just before noon on March 26.
State police at Wilkes-Barre, the Troop P Forensic Services Unit, Wilkes-Barre police and Luzerne County detectives responded to the scene.
The remains found in the basement of 142 Carlisle St. were confirmed to be human on March 12.
Due to the state of decomposition, Mercyhurst University in Erie helped assist in the collection of the remains and conducted the examination.
According to investigators, police first responded to the home late in the evening on Feb. 27 because they “developed a lead which indicated that remains of some sort would be found in the home.”
Wilkes-Barre City Police Department and Pennsylvania State Police Forensic Services Unit were on the scene.
City Police were stationed at the home through out the night and the investigation continued on Wednesday morning when students in the anthropology course at Mercyhurst University traveled across the state to assist in the collection of the remains.
Investigators were seen coming in and out of the home for hours, carrying shovels and buckets.