HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WTVR) – It was a routine check on the welfare of a neighbor that suddenly turned into a bomb squad call after officers hit the threshold of an Eastern Henrico man’s door and detected a pungent, sulfuric odor.
The three letters “F-B-I” were a combination neighbors off Mill Reef Court in Eastern Henrico weren’t expecting Friday. “It's kind of scary," said Chelsea Johnson. “They stopped me and said I couldn’t go to my house,” said Matt Lee.
Lee lives in one of the three households that were evacuated for several hours. A neighbor who was checking on the welfare of the man next door called police because he was the first to notice the strange smell. He hadn’t seen the man in two weeks, nor had his car moved in that time, and the grass was growing tall.
When Henrico Police arrived, they couldn’t get in right away. “When they tried to go inside the house, there was an odd smell or odor at the door that alarmed the officers,” said Lt. Linda Toney. “So they retreated and put together a safety plan."
Part of that plan was to launch the bomb squad.
After two loud pops that sounded like gun shots, the bomb squad was able to diffuse the safety issue and police made safe entry into the house.
The police investigation continues. Neighbors who knew the man who lived in the house tell me he was a Vietnam veteran, who rarely spoke to any of them. “He keeps to himself,” said Johnson. “[He] never associated with anyone around. He never waved or anything, just lived and kept to himself."
The man’s neighbors on Mill Reef Court tell me they believe he was a hoarder who didn’t keep his home well maintained. "He's lived kind of trashy as long as I can remember," said Lee.
Several hours into the incident, law enforcement personnel were able to make entry into the residence and found a deceased individual.
At this time, there is no suspicion of foul play, however the case is being investigated by Henrico Detectives as an unattended death in cooperation with the medical examiner’s office.
The body has not been identified, and no next of kin notifications have been made. The State Medical Examiner’s office will determine the cause and manner of death.
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