Police believe they have found the body of suspected highway shooting suspect Oscar Sanchez-Munoz inside his home, according to a Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department spokesperson.
Sanchez-Munoz, 22, was wanted in connection with a shooting spree along Interstate 70 on June 16 in Kansas City, Missouri. Authorities said he was also facing charges in Wyandotte County connected to a separate June 11 shooting incident involving criminal discharge of a firearm.
The discovery came after days of searches and renewed investigative activity connected to his whereabouts.
Body Found Inside Residence
According to police, detectives were notified around 2 p.m. Wednesday after a family member reported a smell of decomposition while searching through debris in the basement of Sanchez-Munoz’s residence.
Law enforcement later found a human body inside the home. Police said the clothing on the body matched what Sanchez-Munoz was believed to have been wearing on the day of the Interstate 70 shooting spree.
At this stage, investigators believe the body is Sanchez-Munoz, though official confirmation is still pending.
The Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office is working to confirm the person’s identity and determine the cause of death.
Home Had Been Scene Of Previous Standoff
Police said the basement where the body was found had been heavily cluttered and flooded. The flooding happened after firefighters worked to extinguish a house fire that broke out during a previous standoff at the residence.
The condition of the basement may have made the search more difficult. Authorities have not yet released additional details about how long the body may have been inside the home or whether it had been missed during earlier searches.
Investigators are expected to continue examining the scene as they work to determine what happened.
Search For Suspect Had Continued This Week
Earlier in the week, video shared with local news showed police returning to Sanchez-Munoz’s home to search for new evidence.
On Wednesday morning, Kansas City, Missouri, police also searched Mt. Washington Cemetery as part of efforts to find clues related to his whereabouts.
Later that same day, a police presence was seen near the home in the 700 block of Brookside Avenue in Independence. That is where investigators later found the body believed to be Sanchez-Munoz.
Suspect Was Wanted In Highway Shooting Case
Sanchez-Munoz had been wanted in connection with a June 16 shooting spree along Interstate 70. The case drew significant attention as police investigated gunfire reported along the highway.
Authorities also said he faced charges in Wyandotte County related to a June 11 shooting incident. Those charges involved criminal discharge of a firearm.
Police have not released further details about whether the suspected highway shootings and the earlier Wyandotte County case were connected.
Medical Examiner To Confirm Identity
Although police believe the body belongs to Sanchez-Munoz, officials said final confirmation must come from the medical examiner.
The Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office will also determine the cause and manner of death. Until that process is complete, authorities are treating the identification as preliminary.
Additional updates may be released once investigators receive confirmation and complete more of their review.
Police believe the search for suspected highway shooter Oscar Sanchez-Munoz may have ended after a body was discovered inside his home Wednesday.
The body was found in a cluttered, flooded basement, and investigators said the clothing matched what the suspect wore during the June 16 shooting spree. The medical examiner is now working to confirm the identity and cause of death.