A mummified body was discovered Wednesday by construction workers in the wall of the Kaiser Convention Center in Oakland, California, police said.
The body was “preserved within the wall where it was found,” the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office said, according to ABC 7 News. Both the sheriff’s office and the Oakland Police Department confirmed the discovery, the outlet reported.
The discovery was made by construction workers during renovations at the convention center, which has been closed since 2005, also according to ABC 7 News. The convention center was being renovated and turned into a multi-use space, the outlet said.
WATCH:
Following the discovery of the body in the wall of the building, the sheriff’s office indicated that investigators would work to try and identify the remains using DNA, dental records and potentially fingerprints.
Dorothy Lazard reacted to the news of the body being discovered. “I was shocked, and the mummified remains startled me,” she told ABC 7 News. (RELATED: Teenager’s Body Allegedly Hidden In Bedroom Wall By His Police Officer Stepfather: REPORT)
In addition, Lazard shared a few historical tidbits about the convention center. Lazard said a variety of events took place at the building, including performances by James Brown and The Grateful Dead as well as speeches from Louis Farrakhan and Martin Luther King.
The body had likely been preserved inside the wall of the convention center for several years, police said, according to KTLA. The police were unable to determine the age or gender of the remains due to their decomposition, KTLA reported.
The body was discovered on the “west side of the building near the concert hall, behind drywall and between two concrete pillars,” police said, according to NBC San Diego. No obvious signs of trauma were observed on the remains, according to Oakland Police Department Lieutenant Patrick Shavies, the outlet noted.