From Tribune staff reports
JEFFERSON COUNTY–A body found in northeast Jefferson County on Tuesday has been identified as Jewel Dewayne Bendolph, 38, according to the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office.
According to the coroner’s report, Bendolph was recovered “from within a shallow clandestine grave in a wooded area.”
He was identified by a positive fingerprint comparison.
His death is being investigated as a homicide.
Bendolph was last seen on Sunday, March 3, according to a missing person’s report from the Birmingham Police Department.
Birmingham Police also stated they believed Bendolph was in danger as someone observed him arguing with someone before his disappearance.
His last known location was the BP gas station in Mason City, driving his listed silver Honda Civic.
Deputies were called to the 5200 block of Dewey Heights Road Tuesday shortly after 4 p.m. to investigate an abandoned vehicle.
According to the sheriff, the vehicle appeared to have been intentionally covered to conceal it, and investigators found evidence of a possible deceased person in the area.
Detectives and a cadaver dog were called to the scene and later found human remains.
Investigators with the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office were called to the location Wednesday morning to collect the remains for identification and to notify the family.
According to the sheriff, the abandoned vehicle was a silver Honda Civic thought to be associated with a missing person’s case being investigated by the Birmingham Police Department.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s detectives will be working closely with Birmingham Police detectives to identify the offenders in this homicide.
If you have any information regarding this case, you are asked to contact the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office at 205-325-1450 or you may call Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.
This story will be updated as more information is released.
