Medical examiner seeks help identifying body discovered in San Jose

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The Santa Clara County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office is asking for the public’s help identifying a body that was discovered at a townhome complex on June 19 in South San Jose.

A tenant found the body of the young man in a carport, between two homes, at the Santa Teresa Townhome Complex.

“He was found not decomposed,” said Chief Medical Examiner-Coroner Investigator Rosa Vega. “There was no obvious signs of injury.”

Authorities said the man is of Hispanic descent and is 20 to 25 years old. The Coroner’s Office said the man was lying face up. It’s unclear how he died as they're awaiting toxicology reports.

Investigators found him with only the clothes on his back. They submitted his fingerprints to local, state and federal agencies.

“We always take fingerprints and get hits,” said Vega. “It's rare because there are no hits associated to him. We have hit a wall. We have no identification. All results have been negative.”

“It was obviously disturbing,” said Neighbor Taylor Capilla. “I don't have the slightest clue who he is. All we know there was tattoos, a tank top and a shoe missing.”

At the time, the young man was wearing black athletic pants with shorts underneath, blue Van's shoes and matching blue socks. A blue jacket and one shoe was found nearby.

He had three distinct tattoos including a “Est. 2018” tattoo below his left chest, a “Sleaze Life” tattoo on his forearm
and circles on his wrist.

The coroner’s office said he did not appear to be homeless. A neighbor told authorities she may have seen him before.

“She may or may not have seen him a few days prior and at the time he appeared intoxicated,” said Vega. “Whether it's alcohol or drugs we don’t have that information.”

The next step is to process his DNA through the Department of Justice database. The coroner’s office is hoping the information will trigger someone's memory and bring him back home to his family.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office Investigations Unit at (408) 793-1900 x3.