Sheriff: Car Towed to Columbia Heights Had Body Inside

The Anoka County Sheriff's Office said in a news release Friday investigators are working on the case of a body found Thursday in a car at an impound lot in the 3800 block of Central Ave. NE in Columbia Heights.

The vehicle had been towed Feb. 13 from an apartment complex parking lot in Brooklyn Park, the statement said.

See a WCCO-TV video report about the body found in a towed car in Columbia Heights.

Here is the full text of the ACSO press release:

On 2-21-13, the body of what is believed to be an adult female was found in a vehicle that had been towed to an impound lot in the 3800 block of Central Ave NE in the City of Columbia Heights.  The vehicle had been towed to that location from an apartment complex in the City of Brooklyn Park.  The vehicle had been towed under a private party arraignment. (NO LAW ENFORCEMENT INVOLVEMENT) The apartment complex contracted with a private towing company to facilitate moving unauthorized vehicles. The private tow company did not see a body in the vehicle at the time and it is not the practice of private towing companies to do any sort of vehicle inventory.  The vehicle in question was towed out of Brooklyn Park on February 13th.

The body had been concealed inside the passenger compartment.  The decedent is believed to be an 18 year old female who lived in the City of St. Paul.  At this point the body HAS NOT BEEN POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED and autopsy results are pending.  The case is an active investigation involving the Brooklyn Park Police Department, the Columbia Heights Police Department, the St. Paul Police Department, the Anoka County Medical Examiner’s office and the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office.

There are many factors in this case that will not be discussed or disclosed to protect the integrity of the very preliminary investigation.  At this point, there will be NO FURTHER INFORMATION RELEASED by any of the agencies participating in the investigation and no interviews will be granted until further notice.