Human remains found in Aliquippa
ALIQUIPPA, Pa. (KDKA) -- Human remains were found in Aliquippa on Thursday.
Aliquippa police found the remains in a building in the area of Fifth Avenue after receiving information, state police said in a news release. Police did not specify how they learned of the information.
Pennsylvania State Police were called in to help secure the scene along with Aliquippa officers.
Police called the investigation active and didn't release any other details. Police are investigating along with the Beaver County District Attorney's Office and the Beaver County coroner.
Sources told KDKA-TV's Jennifer Borrasso that they were working to get a search warrant. The remains were found in an abandoned building and the body is in "an advanced state of decomposition," according to sources.
Neighbors told KDKA-TV on Thursday that the buildings in the area where the body was found have been vacant for years.
Officials are working to identify the remains and the cause of death. Sources told KDKA-TV that the autopsy is scheduled for Friday.
The Aliquippa Police Department's station is just down the street from where the remains were found. In between is an apartment building where a woman who went missing about 2 years ago lived.
The friends and family of Ri'Kiah Griffie hope this discovery will bring them closure.
"For them to finally find somebody, it gives a little bit of hope or closure," said Rickey Leon-Smith, a friend of Griffie.
He acknowledged that police do not know for sure if it's her and they need to wait on forensics.
Griffie's aunt, Starla Forbes, was close with her and shares Leon-Smith's pain.
"It's almost like losing a child," she said.
"We all got our hopes up high looking for closure and hoping for the best," Leon-Smith said.