The remains were found by a demolition crew that was tearing down the cabin, which was abandoned long before Maddux died, Born said.
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Teller County Coroner Al Born said Tuesday that dental records were used to determine the remains are those of Joshua Vernon Maddux, who was 18 when he was reported missing in May 2008.
“It smelled bad”, he told The Gazette, adding that a large piece of furniture blocked the fireplace and there was never a reason to look inside.
They said the knees of the mummified body were above its head, and the legs were dislodged from the torso.
Born said he ruled the cause of death as undetermined, but an autopsy revealed no signs of physical injuries such as broken bones or gunshot wounds.
Mystery… Maddux’s body had been stuck in the chimney for seven years. The next day he still didn’t come home. I called all his friends.
“We thought, maybe he is just traveling”.
Maddux was last seen in May of 2008 after venturing out for a walk, one of his two older sisters said in a statement shared by a local paper Friday.
It is not known if Zachary’s death had any bearing on Josh’s disappearance. Ruth said he brother liked to travel and his family initially thought he was a young adult trying to be on his own.
Kate Maddux wrote that her brother was a talented musician, cartoonist, and writer.
“I have always chosen to believe that this was the case”, Kate said. “I have expected Josh to return home to my father’s house at any time”.
The Associated Press reports Murphy’s family bought the cabin about 60 years ago. “Given the unusual circumstances, it may be a miracle that Josh has finally been found”. However, no one heard from Josh, and days turned into years.
His remains were found in a chimney in a cabin in Colorado. It was formerly a homestead of the Thunderhead Ranch, which was infamous for illegal gambling and wild parties.
Murphy lived in the cabin for about 30 years, but it has been abandoned for the past decade.
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“Occasionally, we’d go in there to check on it and there were mice and chipmunks and raccoons”, Chuck Murphy told The Gazette.
