Investigators have identified a burnt torso found near I-94 on Detroit’s east side as a missing transgender teen.
Henry Hilliard Jr., 19, also known as Shelley or Treasure, was last seen at 1:20 a.m. on Oct. 23 in the 900 block of Longfellow, wearing a silver dress. The 19-year-old had several piercings and tattoos, including one of cherries on the upper right arm.
Chief Investigator Albert Samuels of the Medical Examiner's office was able to connect the cherry tattoo to the information provided by police to make a match, said spokesman Dennis Niemiec.
Police said they're investigating Hilliard's death as a homicide.
The Free Press last month reported that police and medical examiners often did not communicate about missing people to try to match them to John Does at the morgue.
Police say that as a result they began sending detailed missing person alerts to the ME’s office -- including the alert for Hilliard.
“Obviously, getting these alerts helps,” Niemiec said.
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