Friday, February 22 2013 1:31 PM EST2013-02-22 18:31:02 GMT
The Anoka County sheriff's office is investigating the death of an 18-year-old woman from St. Paul whose body was found inside of a car that had been towed to an impound lot in Columbia Heights, Minn.
The Anoka County sheriff's office is investigating the death of an 18-year-old woman from St. Paul whose body was found inside of a car that had been towed to an impound lot in Columbia Heights, Minn.
COLUMBIA HEIGHTS, Minn. (KMSP) -
Investigators who discovered a body inside a car that was towed to an impound lot in Columbia Heights say they are now officially investigating the case as a murder.
Police also confirmed reports family and friends made to FOX 9 News about the victim, identifying her as 18-year-old Brittany Clardy, of St. Paul.
Officials declined to release any details about the cause of death and said they would not take questions requesting further details.
Officers from Columbia Heights, Brooklyn Park and St. Paul police departments are continuing the investigation with the assistance of the Anoka County Sheriff's Office.
Family members say Clardy was last seen leaving her parents' house on Monday, Feb. 11.
The car was towed to the Columbia Heights lot on Central Avenue NE from an apartment complex in Brooklyn Park on Feb. 13. The private towing company didn't see a body in the car at the time and it is not the practice of private companies to do any sort of vehicle inventory.
The sheriff's office said police were not involved in the towing because the apartment complex had an arrangement with the private company to tow unauthorized vehicles from its lot.
