Medical examination of Carl DeBrodie complete

Carl DeBrodie as a young man with one of his dogs.
Carl DeBrodie as a young man with one of his dogs.

Almost five months since he was reported missing, the Boone and Callaway County Medical Examiner's Office has completed Carl DeBrodie's autopsy.

"We have a copy of the medical examiner's report," Fulton Police Chief Steve Myers said Thursday. "We received it within the last week."

Myers said he is unable to release any information about the medical examiner's conclusions, however.

Under Missouri law, autopsy results are public record. But if the autopsy is part of a criminal investigation, results may only be released when authorized by the prosecuting attorney.

"The integrity of the death investigation is paramount to investigators and prosecutors, so the information in the medical examiner's report will not be made public at this time," Callaway County Prosecuting Attorney Christopher Wilson said.

DeBrodie, 31, was initially reported missing April 17. The developmentally disabled man lived at a supported living facility managed by Second Chance Homes of Fulton LLC.

On April 24, police found his decomposed body wrapped in plastic and encased in concrete. It was inside a trash container and a wooden crate in a storage unit in Fulton. Myers confirmed at the time the body was severely decomposed, meaning DeBrodie may have been deceased for months.

More detailed background on the DeBrodie case is available at bit.ly/2vW5voo.

Autopsy results were delayed by a backlog at the medical examiners' office. However, Myers characterized the delay as "not at all uncommon."

In June, Myers said the evidence in the case had been turned over to Wilson for review.

"This is one of the pieces," Myers said Thursday.

Wilson said the medical examiner's findings have also been released to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

"The facts and circumstances surrounding Mr. DeBrodie's death, as well as the disposal of his body, remain under investigation," he said. "That investigation includes investigators from the Missouri Attorney General's Office, (FBI), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of the Medical Examiner."

Myers said he sympathizes with impatient members of the public.

"We want to move forward with the case," he said. "It has taken time, but I think the public doesn't realize how much evidence we have to sift through."

He said eight-12 officers were reviewing evidence at a time, and now the prosecutor must review the evidence. It will be up to the prosecutor to determine charges, Myers said.