Investigators say a decomposing body found in Northport in August belonged to a local man who had been reported missing the month before.

Captain Jack Kennedy, the commander of the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit, told local media on Monday that the Northport Police Department asked for their help investigating after a decomposed body was discovered in the woods behind some businesses near McFarland Blvd and Northbrook Drive on August 21st.

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Kennedy said the body was located by investigators who were searching for 47-year-old Jason Robert Lainberger, who had been reported missing in July.

Although police believed they had found the missing man, because of his state of decomposition, they required confirmation from the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences, who conducted an autopsy and DNA testing - a process which has taken this long to perform.

 

Kennedy said AFDS was able to confirm Lainberge's identity late last week.

 

"Based on the facts discovered during the investigation the area he was located in is not suspicious," Kennedy said. "VCU is still working with ADFS on determining the cause of death, however, the initial autopsy has not indicated any trauma, and foul play is not suspected at this time."

For more details on the case if any are released, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread.

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