Mystery over body found in home

MILLVILLE, N.J. - May 26, 2009 Millville police and Cumberland County detectives received a missing person call on Sunday night. 58-year-old Drew Ferguson Sr., who took care of his elderly and ailing mother Verna Ferguson, had not been seen for some time.

The phone call was made by Drew Sr.'s brother.

"He hadn't had contact with his brother with what seemed at least like a week's period and really, just wanted police to check in on the residence," Cumberland County Prosecutor Ronald Casella said.

Police detected a foul odor at the house. Armed with a search warrant and using cadaver dogs, they found a badly decomposing body at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday morning.

It was removed from a crawl space under the back porch.

"Investigation is being undertaken with great care, just as if we were also conducting a homicide investigation," Casella said.

A number of people have been questioned including the missing man's son 33-year-old Drew Jr., who authorities say also lives at the home.

Neighbors were quite surprised by the police activity and to learn of the morbid find.

The medical examiner did positively identify the body as Drew Ferguson Sr. However, they don't know how long the body had been in the crawl space nor have they determined the exact cause of death.

They do say there was no obvious trauma to the body.

This is still being considered a suspicious death. Mrs. Ferguson has been moved to a nursing home.

The investigation continues.

Follow Action News on Twitter

Get Action News on your website

Follow Action News on Facebook

Click here to get the latest Philadelphia news and headlines from across the Delaware and Lehigh valleys.

Copyright © 2024 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.