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After the Riots / NEWS IN BRIEF : RIOT VICTIMS : Remains of Man Found in Building

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A demolition crew working inside the burned hulk of a variety store Wednesday stumbled upon the charred and decomposed remains of a man who authorities believe is yet another victim of the April riots.

The body was discovered at 8:30 a.m. inside a J.J. Newberry store on Western Avenue that was burned by looters on the first night of the riots, authorities said. So far, the remains have been identified only as those of a man.

The discovery came a day after the Los Angeles County coroner’s office officially lowered the riot death toll from 60 to 51 after a review of case files showed that some deaths were unrelated to the unrest.

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Los Angeles Police Detective Don Tabak said the body was found by a workman who noted a foul smell, sifted through a thick layer of rubble and caught a glimpse of a human skull.

“There’s so much burned in this city,” Tabak said. “I wouldn’t be surprised at all if we find more bodies. If they go through carefully, they may even find something else in this building.”

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