Man found ‘badly decomposed’ at abandoned Columbus car wash identified

For a previous report on this story, view the video player above.

COLUMBUS, Ohio ( WCMH )  – A man whose body was found “badly decomposed” inside an abandoned car wash has been identified.

The Franklin County Coroner’s Office said Friday that it had identified Christopher M. Coleman by his fingerprints. Coleman, 53, was pronounced dead in the 1500 block of Holt Road, inside an abandoned car wash in the Georgesville Square Shopping Plaza.

On Wednesday night, police found Coleman’s body, “badly decomposed,” inside one of the car wash bays. At 10:51 p.m., the Franklin County Coroner’s Office arrived at the scene and confirmed the remains were human. Homicide detectives also investigated the scene.

The former Super Wash storefront has a chain link fence surrounding the property, and has been abandoned for several years. A cause of death likely won’t be available until an autopsy is conducted.

Coleman, who was described as homeless, was alive as recently as one month ago, when he was charged with disorderly conduct in Franklin County Municipal Court. The fingerprints used to identify Coleman were matched with those taken on Sept. 11, three days after his arrest.

Coleman has faced charges in municipal court nearly 25 times, including an alleged robbery in 2016 that took place at a west Columbus Huntington Bank.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.