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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