The search for a missing father from Warren has ended in tragedy after the man's body was found in East Cleveland.
“It’s not safe anymore for people who are respectable. We got older people on this street,” said East Cleveland resident, Earvin Gordon, Jr.
Long-time neighbors like Earvin Gordon Jr. tell News 5 he’s upset, and is now calling for things to change, after Acting Police Chief Ken Lundy said his officers found a dead body on Monday at an abandoned home on Chapman Avenue in East Cleveland.
"I just want them to take care of business, and these streets need to be fixed. Everybody thinks it’s a dumping ground,” said Gordon.
Even more disturbing is who Lundy said the medical examiner’s office revealed as the dead person.
“We did get confirmation from them that the body was identified as the missing person reported out of Warren, OH as Juvar King,” said East Cleveland Acting Police Chief Ken Lundy.
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During Tuesday’s press conference, Lundy said 43-year-old Juvar King was reported missing on February 4th.
Meanwhile, a vehicle belonging to one of King’s family members was found caught on fire in Cleveland that same day, according to a press release from Cleveland Police.
Authorities eventually ruled the fire as an arson and arrested 28-year-old Nathaniel Crockett, who was charged in connection to the vehicle’s fire in the 9300 block of Sherwood Road in Cleveland.
Since then, Lundy said Crockett has been released from custody.
But Commander Joseph Marche said they plan to bring Crockett in for questioning in King’s death, which they do believe is a result of foul play.
“We need to talk to some people. We need to find out who had his car. We need to talk to the gentleman that had been arrested for the arson, and we plan on doing all that as well as speaking with the medical examiner’s office to find out what the cause of death was,” said Commander Joseph Marche.
RELATED: Man accused of setting missing Warren man's car on fire arraigned Saturday
As this investigation continues, Interim Mayor Sandra Morgan said she wants to clean up vacant properties and tear down abandoned homes and buildings.
“We will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law people who came to East Cleveland to dump. It creates a bad environment for our city. It gives us a stain, but it also creates havens for people to do illicit things,” said Interim Mayor Sandra King.
“Make it right. We pay our taxes, why not make it right,” said Gordon.
Lundy asks anyone with information about the case to contact East Cleveland detectives at 216-681-2162 or Crime Stoppers at 216-252-7563.
