House fire turns into homicide investigation after human remains found in trunk of car, Alabama officials say

Alabama criminal investigators are searching for clue after fire crews found human remains in the trunk of a burning vehicle at a vacant house on Saturday morning.

Jefferson County Chief Deputy Coroner Bill Yates said that Birmingham Fire and Rescue officials were called to a fire at an vacant house in the 300 block of Barbee Street in the wee hours of Saturday morning.

After extinguishing the fire crews located human remains inside the trunk of a vehicle parked in the carport of the residence, Yates said.

Investigators could not immediately determine the identification of the dead person, or the person’s race. They could only determine the remains belonged to an adult male. An autopsy was planned to help determine the manner and cause of death.

Birmingham police are investigating the matter as a homicide.