New clues revealed in mystery of skeleton in Heights home wall
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Skeletal remains found in a Heights home will undergo DNA testing to determine if they are those of a missing previous tenant.
In March, a skeleton was found in the attic of a cottage on Allston Street as new tenants moved in. In 2015, 61-year-old Mary Cerruti went missing while she lived at the same address.
According to an autopsy report, the remains were badly damaged by "extensive postmortem animal activity." Investigators said they did exhibit characteristics consistent with a white woman over 40 -- like Cerruti -- but the remains will be sent to the University of North Texas for further testing.
ORIGINAL REPORT: Skeletal remains found in previous home of missing person
The skeleton was found in a crawl space between the boards on the attic floor and the sheet rock on the ceiling, according to investigators.
All that was found was "just bones," said HPD homicide detective Jason Fay. "There was some tattered cloth but not sure it was just scraps drug in by wild animals."
According to a neighbor, Cerruti kept to herself and surrounded herself with several cats. The neighbor said police went inside Cerruti's house and found all of her cats dead, but never found her. The house has sat empty until the new tenants moved in and found these remains.
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