The remains of a man missing since May were found in a machine in a recycling plant in South Carolina.
Duncan Alexander Burrell Gordon was reported missing on May 5 after he was last seen during his overnight shift at Industrial Recycling & Recovery, Inc. in Greer, South Carolina, KTLA sister station WSPA reports.
On June 10, the Spartanburg County Coroner’s Office was contacted after tests returned positive results for Gordon’s DNA.
The coroner’s office asked a forensic anthropologist and a forensic pathologist to examine the material recovered by a Spartanburg County Sheriff Detective.
According to the coroner’s office, the machine where Gordon was found was viewed at least four times. The first time was by the plant and Gordon’s father. After his check, the machine was started again.
The second search was by a patrol supervisor with the sheriff’s office just after the missing person report was filed.
The third search was when the material was found under the conveyor belt by a detective and was tested. The results came back negative for human blood.
The material was dried out and later hydrated in a lab, according to the coroner’s office. After hydration, it tested positive for human blood.
After meeting with the sheriff’s office, the coroner’s office arranged exams for the material. The results showed the material was consistent with human fat, microscopically minute particles of skin and small pieces of bone.
Approximately two ounces were recovered by the detective from the conveyor belt, the coroner’s office said.
The company reported to the sheriff’s office that around 60,000 pounds of plastic material had been processed between the time Gordon was noticed missing and the first time investigators arrived to inspect the machine.
Industrial Recovery & Recycling, Inc. is a privately owned plastic recycling company, according to its website. The plant says it has processed more than “1 billion pounds of plastic material for a growing list of blue chip manufacturing companies.”
