PHENIX CITY, Ala. — A family gathering in Phenix City took a shocking turn Sunday, when family members smelled a noxious odor next door.
Lisa Sellers spoke exclusively to News 3 about the strong stench that ruined a Sunday memorial celebration for her mother-in-law.
“It was a day that we were celebrating the passing of my mother-in-law. It’s been a year,” Sellers told News 3. “Today would have been her birthday. And we were just having a family gathering. It started off as a great Sunday. We went to church together and we were having dinner. All of a sudden, things just turned tragic.”
The family called police after discovering what looked to be a dead body inside a boarded, abandoned home. When investigators arrived on the scene, they found the body of a homeless man inside the house. Police say the man’s body had been inside the home for about three to four days. Sellers says the unexpected tragedy affected her entire family.
“We don’t know if it’s someone we know,” Sellers said. “But either way, we feel sorry for the individual’s family, because someone lost a loved one today.”
Neighbors say no one had lived in the house for at least three months. The area is generally described as peaceful and quiet. The Russell County Coroner’s Office is working to identify the man. They hope to learn more information after an autopsy.
