Skeleton in shed ID’d as long missing Vineland man

VINELAND – Remains found in a West Avenue shed in May are those of a West Elmer Street man reported missing more than four years ago, according to police.

State Police analyzed DNA from a bone sample and alerted city police Monday that it was a match to William Flores, who investigators said apparently committed suicide by hanging.

Police did not say how long the man was in the shed, but said they’ve ruled out foul play.

Detectives had searched for Flores — who would now be 39 — ever since he was reported missing during a troubled time in his life in November 2010.

Flores, who was residing in the 200 block of West Elmer Street, was a suspect in a reported sexual assault. In August 2010, Millville police put out an alert that they were looking for Flores, who was subsequently arrested and released after a family member posted his bail, according to police reports.

Three months later, on Nov. 2, a domestic dispute complaint was filed against Flores in Vineland, police said.

A day later, a family member reported Flores missing to police.

Police launched an investigation and eventually entered Flores into missing persons databases. Detectives followed leads flagged by Flores’ name, date of birth and Social Security number, including a hit in May 2011 that they traced to Florida.

“We couldn’t find any more on it,” Vineland police Detective Lt. Matt Finley told The Daily Journal. “We kept looking at it; we got another hit in August 2014.”

With help from police in Hialeah, Florida, investigators said they ruled out that lead.

It was the death of others that led to the discovery of Flores. When relatives passed away, family members were cleaning out a residence in the 500 block of North West Avenue.

When they moved on to a multi-room outbuilding, they found they couldn’t access one area due to a jammed door. Managing to push the door ajar a few inches, a woman held her cellphone through the gap to take of picture to see what was blocking the door, according to police reports.

In that cellphone photo, skeleton remains were visible and police were called to the scene on May 7.

Investigators suspected the remains were those of Flores, noting the remains included clothing matching what Flores was reportedly wearing when he went missing.

“Gray sweatpants and black jacket,” Finley said.

Flores also had his driver’s license tucked in his pocket.

Police were not able to determine why Flores was at the West Avenue property.

Officers alerted Flores’ family about the discovery but cautioned they needed confirmation before they could be sure the remains were those of Flores.

State Police gave Vineland police a verbal confirmation Monday morning and family notifications were made. There were no signs of any other injury to the body, Finley said.

Kim Torres, who called Flores her friend, found it difficult to believe the news.

“He was smart, he was handsome, he was intelligent, he worked very hard,” Torres said, sharing how she remembered Flores.

“He was funny, he was always the life of the party,” she said, “He was kind and sweet and gentle — he was not an aggressive person.”

The last time she saw Flores was in Hammonton, when she was at her family’s home.

“He drove by with his white car — he loved that car, it was like his baby,” she said.

Flores worked at a former window manufacturing business in Hammonton for a long time, she said.

“At 3:30, everybody got out of work,” Torres said. The employees, including Flores, would drive pass her father’s house.

“He would always beep the horn.” she said.

The case is now closed and Flores has been cleared from missing person databases.

Flores’ remains will now be turned over to his family, police said.

Deborah M. Marko; (856) 563-5256; dmarko@gannettnj.com