That Baton Rouge missing 15-year-old’s body is now expected to be in a landfill

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BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - The body of 15-year-old Ja’Derrius Minnieweather has been missing for nearly a week after his alleged killer was arrested for murder, and officials now believe “strong evidence” points to a landfill as the likely location.

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Mayor Edwards said the city is targeting around July 13 to begin the recovery effort, following a planning period. He said the FBI is partnering with the Baton Rouge Police Department in the recovery effort.

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Edwards said there is “strong evidence” that Minnieweather’s body is in the Baton Rouge Landfill. Baton Rouge Police Chief T.J. Morse said investigators believe the body was likely picked up during garbage collection and taken there.

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Morse said the landfill search presents a daunting task that will involve several local agencies as well as the Louisiana National Guard and the Cajun Navy.

The landfill covers 400 acres and gets as much as 1,600 tons of trash daily from 325 trash trucks. With expertise, police believe they may be able to narrow down Minnieweather’s location to a particular half-acre of the site.

Morse said it is now an active crime scene and investigators are working to restrict air space over the landfill as the search continues. He said he hopes to complete the search of the area they have identified within about the next two weeks.

Fire Chief Mike Kimble said firefighters will be assisting, in part because a landfill always has hazardous materials in it.

“It is a nasty environment,” Kimble said.

Searchers will have to wear insulated suits to protect them from the dangers of the landfill. The downside of that protection is that it’s June in Louisiana and the suits are hot.

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