A 19-year-old man in Florida has been arrested after human remains were found in a pair of suitcases linked to him.
Police said they found human remains in two abandoned suitcases in Palm Bay’s notorious “Compound,” and they linked Lucas Jones to the luggage after his name was found inside one of the bags.
Officers reported to Bombardier Boulevard on Saturday, March 28, after they received a report of vultures swarming an abandoned suitcase, according to News 6.
Authorities looked through the first suitcase and found human remains in a partially open flap. The responding officers then looked through a second suitcase with human remains, which they found a short distance away from the first one.
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Police found an Amazon package inside the first suitcase, which was addressed to Jones.
Authorities later executed a search warrant at Jones’ house in Indialantic, and they noticed that he had visible wounds and bruises. Additionally, Jones reportedly refused to participate in an interview.
However, Jones’ girlfriend told police that she saw him trying to wake up a man on March 20 as he laid down on Jones’ bed. The girlfriend then said that she left the room to use the bathroom and the man was gone when she returned.
The man in question was reported missing by his mother on March 22. His name has not yet been publicly reported because police are still waiting on autopsy results to confirm that the remains found in the suitcase were his.
It is not currently clear how Jones knew the suspected victim.
The girlfriend also told police that Jones told her to take him to the Compound, where he discarded items in separate locations, according to the arrest report viewed by the outlet.
Following the investigation, Jones was arrested on charges of tampering with evidence, abuse of a dead human body and improper disposal of human remains.
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He made his first appearance in court on Monday, March 31, and a judge set his bond at $7,500. The judge also told Jones that he could not return to the Compound.
The Compound is a 2,784-acre area in the southwestern part of Palm Bay that was originally intended to be a large residential community. However, the use of the property changed when the original owner went bankrupt in 1991.
Several crimes have taken place at the Compound over the years, including murders being committed there and bodies being found.
It is not currently clear if Jones has entered a plea or retained legal representation following his arrest. The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to Us Weekly’s request for comment regarding the case.
