Anthony J. Fortes, who had recently noticed a foul smell in his Winthrop neighborhood, said he was shocked yesterday when police found a body under the neighboring house’s back deck.
(Barry Chin/Globe Staff)
Police discover body under deck in Winthrop backyard
Anthony J. Fortes, who had recently noticed a foul smell in his Winthrop neighborhood, said he was shocked yesterday when police found a body under the neighboring house’s back deck.
(Barry Chin/Globe Staff)
WINTHROP - Winthrop police found a body underneath the back deck of a home on Winthrop Street yesterday, officials said, after a neighbor complained of a lingering bad odor.
Officials could not immediately identify the body, but an examination by chief medical examiner’s office is expected to begin today, said Jake Wark, a spokesman for Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley. The body was lying in the back of a home at 429 Winthrop St.
When the remains were found, State Police were notified. State Police detectives and the crime scene unit will work with Winthrop police to investigate the “unattended death,’’ Wark said.
Neighbor Anthony J. Fortes said he noticed police outside his home about 3:30 p.m. approaching other neighbors. When he went into his backyard, he saw deck siding that had covered the area underneath the neighboring house’s back porch lifted up and two investigators looking at a body.
“I was shocked; I was shocked big time,’’ said Fortes, who has lived in his Winthrop home for about four years. “Who would have known something like that is in their backyard?’’
Fortes said the body, clothed only in shorts, was laying flat on its stomach with the head turned to the side.
Police removed the body shortly after 7 p.m. Residents of the home where the body was found said they could not identify the body and had no idea how it ended up under the house’s deck.
“I’m very shocked,’’ said Jean Stacy, an 81-year-old tenant on the bottom floor of the two-family home. “I had no idea.’’
A tenant from the second floor who did not wish to be identified said he had noticed the smell. He was planning on calling the landlord, but he had not made any calls because of his work schedule.
Fortes said he had noticed the smell in the past few weeks and had called the Department of Health and the building inspector, but no one responded. Another resident in the area called police yesterday afternoon to report the foul odor.
Fortes spoke with other neighbors Aug. 1 about the smell, and residents a few doors down were bothered, as well.
In the past few days, he said, the odor had become unbearable. Although he and his wife kept the windows shut and the air conditioning on, it was hard to escape.
“I don’t know how to explain it, but it was like the smell was inside of me,’’ said Fortes. “I couldn’t get rid of it.’’
Jenna Duncan can be reached at jduncan@globe.com. 
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