Teen finds missing man’s foot in river, then other body parts turn up, MI reports say
.png "Human remains found in the Saginaw River were confirmed to be those of a missing man, officials say.")
A foot found in a river led to the discovery of more body parts, identified as the remains of a man reported missing by his family, according to Michigan authorities and news outlets.
On Sept. 18, 41-year-old Justie Stilwell was reported missing by relatives, according to a news release from the Bay City Department of Public Safety.
That same day, a teenager found a human foot in the Saginaw River, according to the Detroit News.
“It being near Halloween, I thought it was some kind of prank,” the teen’s grandfather John Donaldson told Michigan Live. “I went down there and it initially looked like a doll’s foot.”
Officials said two arms and two lower legs, including feet, were found.
On Sept. 19, investigators learned that the body parts belonged to Stilwell after running his fingerprints.
Stilwell was a janitor at T.L. Handy Middle School in Bay City, according to Michigan Live.
“Justie was a valued member of our Handy family, and we know that this loss will be felt deeply by many,” the Bay City school district told families in a letter, the outlet reported.
Stilwell’s car was found at a nearby park, according to the release. Officials searched the river using sonar technology, and cadaver dogs, but found no additional evidence.
This story was originally published September 24, 2024 at 1:01 PM with the headline "Teen finds missing man’s foot in river, then other body parts turn up, MI reports say."
