Dismembered Body Found in Back of U-Haul Truck in Pennsylvania

Philadelphia Police officers made a grisly discovery when they found pieces of a dismembered body that had been stuffed into a trash bag in the back of a U-Haul truck.

Officers had responded to a burglary call on Thursday morning in the city's northeastern Somerton area.

When they arrived in Sanibel Street at around 9am (ET) they found a U-Haul truck starting to drive away.

Police followed the driver to the intersection of Kelvin and Foster streets before the man pulled over and proceeded to get out of the truck.

Sgt Eric Gripp, a Philadelphia Police Department spokesperson, said the driver and another passenger did not try to flee when stopped and co-operated with the investigation.

He told 6abc Action News: "The vehicle pulled over, and as soon as the officers got out of the car the driver of the U-Haul just came right out the door and said, 'I don't want anything to do with this.'

The driver reportedly added: "There's a body in the back."

Both the driver and passenger of the rental vehicle were taken away and put in police custody as officers continued with their investigation.

During a sweep of the area, police found a weapon and body parts of a man stuffed into a trash bag in the back of the truck.

Later that day, officers then found more body parts in a dumpster several blocks away near a Wawa store on the corner of Kelvin Avenue and Bustleton Avenue.

Officers said they believe the body parts found in the dumpster, about a third of a mile away from Sanibel Street, could belong to the same person.

Police have not released the identity of the victim but said they are working on the assumption he is the owner of the home that officers had been called to earlier.

Investigators have since carried out a search of the property.

Neighbors described the owner as a kind, trusting man who owned several pets and had previously offered work to people.

Inside the home, officers found dogs, lizards and parrots and called Animal Control to remove them from the property.

Therese Pelbano, a neighbor, told NBC10: "He raises bees. He has animals in the house. He's never given anyone any trouble."

The driver and passenger remain in police custody and no charges have been filed against either of the men.

A spokesperson for the Philadelphia Police Department told Newsweek: "The investigation is active and ongoing with Homicide Detectives Division."