Body found in San Jose, police ask for public’s help
Mar 31, 2026
(KRON) -- The San Jose Police Department is asking for the public's help after a "severely decomposed" body was found 10 days ago inside a vehicle.
SJPD investigators said foul play may have been involved, and so far, the deceased person's identity remains a mystery.
Officers found the body just
before 7 a.m. on March 21 in a vehicle that was apparently abandoned on Francis Drive and McKee Road.
"The Santa Clara County Office of the Medical Examiner responded and took custody of the decedent, who remains unidentified," SJPD Sgt. Jorge Garibay wrote Tuesday.
As part of the death investigation, detectives are attempting to find a 40-year-old San Jose man who was reported missing, Aldama Refugio Jr.
Aldama Refugio Jr. is seen in a California driver's license photo released by SJPD.
Refugio's red two-door 2010 Nissan Frontier pickup truck was seized by SJPD. The police department did not clarify if the truck was the same vehicle that the body was found in.
Investigators released photographs of the truck and Refugio Tuesday with hopes of generating tips from the public.
Aldama Refugio Jr. is the registered owner of this pickup truck. (SJPD Photo)
"The San Jose Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in obtaining information related to the vehicle and its registered owner. The missing person, Aldama Refugio Jr., was last seen in early 2026," Garibay wrote.
Search for missing Oakland coffee shop owner Amy Hillyard continues
Anyone who may have seen Refugio, the truck, or has any information related to this case is urged to contact Detective Sergeant Taylor by emailing [email protected], or calling 408-504-1326.
...read more
read less