Mummified body found in Oakland Convention center identified as missing man 

The mummified body found within the walls of the Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center in Oakland, California, in March was identified as a man who had been missing for two years, reported the coroner’s office on Tuesday. 

In early March, a construction crew found a mummified body in the wall of the historic building while they were renovating it. 

"We found remains best described as mummified," said Lt. Ray Kelly of the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office shortly after the body was found." The conditions in the walls were such that the body was preserved in good conditions."

After conducting an autopsy and forensic probe, the mummified body was identified as 42-year-old Joseph Edward Mejica, who was reported missing by his mother in August 2020, said the coroner’s office.

According to Mejica’s mother, he would frequent homeless camps in Oakland. He would also occasionally steal copper wire from construction sites to sell for cash. 

Mejica’s cause of death is still pending. Previously, authorities believed Mejica’s death was accidental—he fell from a high point and was trapped between the inner and outer walls, sliding downward over time. According to Kelly, the conditions between the walls helped preserve the body.

"Over time, his body slowly decayed and slipped toward the bottom of the cavity space," Lt. Frederick Shavies said in March. "No obvious trauma was observed to the victim's skeletal remains. No obvious or unnatural trauma was found, indicating foul play. Based on the positionality the victim's body was found in, this tragic death is most likely an accidental death."

The Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center opened in 1914 and was closed after nearly a century of operations. In 2015, a redevelopment project was approved to turn the center into a mixed-use performing arts venue.