Decomposing body found in grocery store pillar may be linked to man who evaded authorities

A decomposing body found wedged inside a stone pillar at a Lancaster grocery store may be linked to a man who attempted to evade sheriff’s deputies a week ago, authorities said Monday.

The suspect, who was not named, was driving a stolen car late in the evening of Aug. 6 when deputies attempted to stop him, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Lt. John Corina said. The suspect pulled the car over and ran, making his way into WinCo Foods Supermarket.

Deputies searched for the man for a few hours, Corina said, but couldn’t find him.

A few days later, the manager started to smell a foul odor coming from the pillar and noticed fluid leaking from its base. He called a plumber, thinking he had a sewage problem.

On Saturday, the plumber broke off a rock at the bottom of the pillar and saw a shoe and an ankle. Investigators believe the man may have climbed up to the roof and down to the column, where he got trapped.

“He must have climbed in that area,” Corina said. “Horrible way to die.”

Coroner’s officials are working to identify the body to determine if it belongs to the suspect who evaded deputies, Corina said.

alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com

Twitter: @AleneTchek