Sources: Man accused of hiding roommate's decomposed body inside their Crown Heights apartment
Prosecutors say a cleaning crew discovered the man's remains on a couch, buried under clothing and debris. Jose Rivera, 53, is now charged with concealment of a human corpse.
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A man was arrested for allegedly hiding his roommate's decomposed remains inside their Crown Heights apartment, according to police sources.
Prosecutors say a cleaning crew discovered the man's remains on a couch, buried under clothing and debris. Jose Rivera, 53, is now charged with concealment of a human corpse.
Crews arrived to clean the apartment at 1722 Union St. just before 8 a.m. Thursday. Rivera and his roommate shared the space through a supportive housing program - the Institute for Community Living (ICL).
According to court documents, Rivera initially refused to let the cleaning crew in.
After the cleaning began, the NYPD was alerted to the discovery and sent officers to the apartment. Paramedics followed and pronounced the man dead at the scene.
Police say they took Rivera into custody the following day.
News 12 spoke to a man who knew Rivera and his roommate.
He says the pair lived together for nearly three years and used to argue about the cleanliness of their apartment.
He tells News 12 that the roommate was "never a people-person," and struggled with mental health issues. Police have not released his identity as of Tuesday evening.
A spokesperson for the ICL issued the following statement:
"ICL is aware of the incident and is cooperating fully with law enforcement. We cannot comment on the details of any individual’s circumstances, housing placement, or services, as we are required to protect the privacy of the people we support."
Although information about how long the man's body had been there was not immediately available, police sources tell News 12 that a social worker reported a "foul smell" on June 29.
According to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, the man's cause of death has not been determined due to the state of decomposition.
Prosecutors say the concealment of a human corpse charge is not bail-eligible - Rivera was released following his arraignment on Sunday.
He is due back in court on Oct. 13.
