Fulton, Arkansas – In a shocking turn of events, workers at a Tyson feed mill in southwest Arkansas made a grim discovery early Monday morning. A “badly decomposed” body was found wedged at the bottom of a train car hopper, revealed only after the train had unloaded its corn.
The unsettling discovery occurred at the feed mill situated on Highway 195 outside of Fulton. The Hempstead County Sheriff’s Office reported being alerted at around 4:20 a.m., as employees of the feed mill believed they had spotted a human arm in the unloading chute beneath the train car. On closer inspection, deputies confirmed the presence of the body part sticking out from the base of the hopper.
According to the news release provided by the sheriff’s office, deputies attempted to access the top of the grain car to investigate further. What they found was even more alarming: a human body, wedged tightly at the bottom of the now-empty car. However, efforts to retrieve the body through the car’s bottom were unsuccessful.
In their pursuit of resolution, the deputies sought the assistance of Red River Wrecker Service. By employing the wrecker service’s equipment, they were able to shift a metal piece inside the car, finally facilitating the removal of the body. Following the extraction, the Hempstead County Coroner confirmed the unfortunate individual, believed to be an adult male, as deceased.
The deceased was then transported to the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory to undergo an autopsy, which will hopefully shed light on the circumstances of his death.
Kiamichi Railroad officials provided vital information to the authorities, detailing the train’s recent journey. The 100-car train had embarked on its trip from Mexico, after which it unloaded beans and proceeded empty to Missouri. It was in Missouri that the train was loaded with corn on Saturday, before heading to Hope for unloading.
The mysterious incident has prompted a thorough investigation. The Hempstead County Coroner and the Arkansas State Police Criminal Investigation Division are now working closely with the sheriff’s office to unravel the circumstances surrounding this grim discovery and determine how the individual came to be trapped in such a tragic predicament.
