Police said investigators found a second body near East 162nd Street after the first call came in Monday night.
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Cleveland homicide detectives are investigating after two bodies were found Monday near East 162nd Street and Midland Avenue on the city’s East Side, police said. The scene sits near a school in the South Collinwood area, and authorities have not released the identities or ages of the dead.
The case drew immediate attention because of the unusual way the remains were discovered and the questions it raised about how long they may have been in the area. Police said the investigation was in its early stages as detectives worked to identify the bodies, notify families and determine how the deaths happened. The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner took custody of the remains and will conduct examinations to determine causes of death.
Officers were called to the area Monday after a resident reported finding what he believed was a dead body, police said. The man, Phillip Donaldson, told local media he was walking his dog when the animal stopped at what looked like a small mound of dirt. Donaldson said he went back to see what the dog was sniffing and noticed a suitcase that was partially buried. He said he pulled it up, looked inside and saw what appeared to be a human head. “It was a suitcase that was half buried and I pulled it up and looked in it, and it was a head. Somebody’s head in it,” Donaldson said.
As officers and homicide detectives searched the area, police said they located a second body nearby. Authorities have not publicly described the condition of the remains or said how close the bodies were to each other. Cleveland police also have not said whether they believe the deaths are connected, though the discovery of two bodies in the same area prompted detectives to treat the scene as a major investigation. The department said there was no indication of an ongoing threat to public safety as officers worked the scene and collected evidence.
The location is near Ginn Academy, a school in the South Collinwood neighborhood on Cleveland’s East Side. Donaldson said the nearby school made the discovery feel even more disturbing. He also said he believed the suitcase may have been there for days. “I had been walking past that for at least a week — that pile of dirt for at least a week — before I even just went across my mind, and I check it,” he said. He added that the suitcase appeared to be buried with only part visible, suggesting someone tried to conceal it.
Investigators have been working to match the victims to missing-person reports and other records, including information held by county and state agencies, according to local reporting. Police have not said whether the victims were reported missing, whether the suitcases were recently placed at the scene, or whether weather conditions played a role in when they were found. Recent snow and cold temperatures in Northeast Ohio limited foot traffic in some areas, neighbors said, and Donaldson told local media he had not walked that route in a while because of the snow.
Detectives typically build cases like this by reconstructing a timeline, canvassing for witnesses and checking nearby cameras, then comparing forensic findings to missing-person databases. In this investigation, officials have not said what evidence has been recovered beyond the suitcases and the remains, or whether there were signs at the scene that could point to a suspect, a vehicle or a time of disposal. Police also have not said whether the bodies were found on public property, private property or an area that borders both.
Key answers will depend on the medical examiner’s findings, including identification of the dead and an assessment of injuries, time since death and other forensic markers. Police have not announced any arrests, and they have not released descriptions of potential suspects. In a brief public statement, the department said the investigation remained active and emphasized that detectives were still collecting information and reviewing leads.
Community reaction in the neighborhood was immediate, with residents describing a heavy police presence and a sense of unease. The discovery occurred in an area with homes and streets that serve as a daily route for students and families, neighbors said. Donaldson said he was “shocked and disturbed,” describing the moment he realized what he had found and the thought that the suitcase might have been there while people went about their routines nearby.
Police have asked anyone with information to contact the Cleveland Division of Police Homicide Unit. Investigators said tips can be provided even if a caller is not certain the information is important, as detectives try to piece together who the victims were and how they ended up at the site. Authorities have not said when they expect to release additional details, including whether they plan a public briefing.
As of Tuesday, detectives had not identified the victims publicly and the medical examiner had not announced the results of examinations. Police said the investigation continued and that the next major step will be confirmation of identities and causes of death.
Author note: Last updated March 3, 2026.