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Coroner Says Body Appears To Be Shakira

Body Found 30 Blocks Away From Home

UPDATED: 7:36 am EDT October 17, 2003

Cuyahoga County Coroner Dr. Elizabeth Balraj said that the body found Wednesday is that of an 11-year-old girl and, at this time, all evidence points to Shakira Johnson.

There is no positive identification until all DNA tests are complete, which could take a few days, possibly into next week.

The family was notified of the results. The cause of death remains unknown, as well.

The body was not clothed when it was brought in, but clothing was found in the vacinity. That clothing was also brought in to the coroner. The clothing found was consistent with what Shakira was wearing, Balraj said.

Evidence was still being removed Thursday from the field on East 71st Street in Cleveland after the body was found.

Shakira was missing for more than a month.

Someone called a tip in Wednesday on a pay phone that a torso was behind a building at East 71st Street and Aetna. The torso was found about 30 blocks away from Johnson's home.

Johnson

Officials said the torso was decomposed.

Two investigaors and a member of the coroner's office went into field with evidence bags just before noon. They want to to link the case to a suspect.

The field is in a very remote area behind a warehouse. It appears to be dumping ground. In fact, a council member says it's a known crime area.

Cleveland Mayor Jane Campbell went to Johnson's home to comfort Alisa Randle, Shakira's mother.

Campbell also attended a late-night service Wednesday at Harvest Baptist Church last night with Randle. Randle was baptized at the service.

There is also a high police presence in the neighborhood and at Johnson's school, Nathan Hale Middle School.





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