Boston man found dead in landfill identified 17 years later

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The body of a man found dead in a Boston-area landfill 17 years ago has been identified as the mission now focuses on who killed him, authorities said Thursday. 

The Bristol County District Attorney’s Office identified the man as 41-year-old Leon Brown. Brown's decomposing body was found in August 2005 at the BFI landfill site in Fall River. 

An autopsy determined the man had died a week within of being found. 

"I am very pleased that we were able to identify Leon Brown, and that his previously unmarked grave will no longer just be an unidentified plot number in the cemetery," Bristol District Attorney Tom Quinn said in a statement. "We are now focussed on investigating the circumstances of his suspicious death.

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Leon Brown, 41, has been identified as the body that was found decomposing in a Boston-area landfill 17 years ago. (Bristol County District Attorney's Office)

Attempts to identify the body after it was discovered were unsuccessful, authorities said. A DNA profile was later created and uploaded into a national database. 

As part of the Unidentified Bodies Project, Brown's body, along with several others, have been undergoing renewed testing from nationally recognized agencies and labs that specialize in using modern forensic technologies.

Brown was not initially reported missing and the leg braces he wore were not on his legs or found in the landfill, authorities said. He suffered from multiple sclerosis and had difficulty walking, the DA said. 

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Earlier this week, members of Quinn’s office found Mr. Brown’s unmarked grave in Fall River and placed flowers, along with a temporary marker with his name.