Mummified remains of body found in Sydney mansion revealed to be man known to police for petty crime

The mummified remains of a man found wrapped in a carpet inside a Sydney mansion have been formally identified, as police reveal the dead man was likely hidden in the home for at least a decade.

A cleaner made the grim discovery inside the overgrown Greenwich hoarder home on Sydney’s lower north shore last Tuesday.

Police sources told The Daily Telegraph the remains are of Shane Snellman, a petty criminal who was believed to have been aged in his 30s when he died.

Police began a methodical dig on Friday morning after cleaners made the gruesome discovery at the house in Greenwich, on Sydney’s lower north shore, on Tuesday

'He was never very friendly but after she died he slowly became more and more reclusive and unkept,' neighbour Edna Scott said of Mr Roberts

Forensic cleaners who were hired to sort through the Sydney home where a mummified body was found claim it was one of the worst hoarder residences they had ever seen

Mr Snellman was known to police for his links to minor crime.

He hadn’t been in contact with his family for many years and no missing persons’ report regarding his disappearance was ever filed.

The home belonged to Bruce Roberts, a hoarder who inherited off his mother – and died of natural courses in the front room in July last year. Mr Roberts death is not being considered as suspicious. 

It has not yet been confirmed whether Mr Roberts and Mr Snellman were known to each other.

Police will now investigate how Mr Snellman died and how long he had been there, and why his remains were not found earlier.

They told The Daily Telegraph they can’t rule out that Mr Roberts knew the body was in his home or if he was involved in Mr Snellman’s death.

A cleaner made the grim discovery of a male body wrapped in carpet, when they were sorting through the Greenwich house, on Sydney's lower north shore last week

A cleaner made the grim discovery of a male body wrapped in carpet, when they were sorting through the Greenwich house, on Sydney’s lower north shore last week

The home is surrounded by barbed wire - neighbours say the man who used to own it was a recluse

The home is surrounded by barbed wire – neighbours say the man who used to own it was a recluse

The executor of Mr Roberts’ estate organised for cleaners to get rid of the rubbish last week so the home could be prepared for sale. That’s when the mummified body was found.

‘The cleaner is still very shaken up about it all,’  the executor said.

‘He was sitting next to the rug and thought it was a cow’s hide wrapped inside, because of how dried out it was.’ 

Police believe the man in the rug was aged between 30 and 40 when he died – and told the Sydney Morning Herald he could have been killed over ten years ago.

‘It’s correct to say that the victim has been in the house for a long time. [But] there are a lot of factors that come into the investigation, like time, temperature and so on and the forensic investigation continues,’ police said. 

One cleaner who worked at the property revealed the deceased estate was a ‘complete fire hazzard’ due to how much rubbish was piled in it.

‘We have done some shocking cleans but this was one of the worst,’ a cleaner said. 

Police - including a dog unit are pictured outside the home which is situated in a quiet suburban street

Police – including a dog unit are pictured outside the home which is situated in a quiet suburban street

Chairs have been stacked up outside the home - the inside is described as a complete fire hazard

Chairs have been stacked up outside the home – the inside is described as a complete fire hazard

She claimed old newspapers and mail were stacked from floor to ceiling leaving a narrow pathway through the home. 

‘The house is so full of stuff that you can’t open some of the bedroom doors,’ she said. 

The executor of the estate called in the cleaners last week and said the discovery of the body was ‘a big shock for everyone’.

He explained the body was found in the third bedroom of the property, Mr Roberts is understood to have primarily used the other two bedrooms.  

Mr Roberts was estranged from his family, the executor revealed, and has one living relative – a cousin not living in Sydney. 

Greenwich neighbours described Mr Roberts to The Daily Telegraph as ‘unsociable’ and ‘creepy.’

The backyard once had tall bamboo privacy screens blocking it out of view

The backyard once had tall bamboo privacy screens blocking it out of view

Police shelter from the rain after digging holes in the backyard on Friday

Police shelter from the rain after digging holes in the backyard on Friday

Mr Roberts, 60, died in the house in July last year, and the property has since been untouched. 

‘There was even stuff stacked up under the house,’ the cleaner said. 

The forensic cleaners were brought in to clear-out the room where Mr Roberts was found dead – and finished their part of the huge job on Friday.

A separate cleaner was hired to remove rubbish from the property, and is understood to have found the body while clearing out rolls of carpet.

A garbage bin sits outside the home - revealing a lot of coffee cups, and takeaway food containers

A garbage bin sits outside the home – revealing a lot of coffee cups, and takeaway food containers

‘It is just very creepy knowing we were working right near a mummified body,’ the cleaner said.   

Police began a methodical dig of the backyard of the Greendale house on Friday, just hours after a post mortem on the man’s body confirmed his death was suspicious. 

The dead man, believed to be aged in his 30s or 40s, had been dead long enough for his body to mummify, police said. 

Neighbours revealed the home had been deserted since Mr Roberts died in July last year.

Mr Roberts inherited the house when his mother died about 20 years ago.   

Police have dug up the backyard of a Sydney home where the body of a man, believed to be aged in his 30s was found wrapped in carpet days earlier (pictured)

Police have dug up the backyard of a Sydney home where the body of a man, believed to be aged in his 30s was found wrapped in carpet days earlier (pictured)

Neighbours revealed the house had been deserted since Bruce Roberts, the owner's son, died a year ago

Neighbours revealed the house had been deserted since Bruce Roberts, the owner’s son, died a year ago

Edna Scott, who has lived across the road for 39 years, said Mr Roberts didn’t live at the house, but would visit from time to time.

Mrs Scott said Mr Roberts’ mental health declined following his mother’s death.

‘He was never very friendly but after she died he slowly became more and more reclusive and unkempt,’ Ms Scott said.

‘I would wave at him when I saw him in the street – he would just stick his head down and keep walking.’

Mrs Scott said the man never lived in the property – but would visit his mum often. 

‘When he was younger he would arrive on a motorbike, with a nice looking leather jacket and jeans.

Police sniffer dogs pictured at the home in the leafy suburb of Greenwich, on Sydney's lower north shore

Police sniffer dogs pictured at the home in the leafy suburb of Greenwich, on Sydney’s lower north shore

‘He was always a very solid build – and would wave on occasion.

‘His mum was tall, well dressed, almost friendly – she wouldn’t stop and chat but would always smile and wave – and very old fashioned in her dress.

‘There was never any talk of a funeral when she died.

‘It was just the two of them I never saw anyone else come and go – and when she died he was the only visitor.

‘But he started letting himself go, he put on a lot of weight and didn’t look tidy.   

Mr Roberts' mother died some 20 years ago, leaving him to check on the home from time to time

The gruesome discovery came as a shock to those living on the leafy street

The gruesome discovery came as a shock to those living on the leafy street

Greendale Street, in Greenwich, where the body was found after at least a decade

Greendale Street, in Greenwich, where the body was found after at least a decade

Acting Superintendent Simon Jones said the body was ‘not very pleasant for investigators’.

He said cleaners found the body in a room at the property which belonged to Mr Roberts, a known hoarder.

He said the body was found with multiple injuries, making it ‘highly suspicious’.  

The body has been in the run-down suburban home for ‘some time’ police said during a press conference on Friday. 

The owners of the house, which is on Greendale Street, had organised for the property to be cleaned last week. The cleaning crew discovered the mummified corpse

The owners of the house, which is on Greendale Street, had organised for the property to be cleaned last week. The cleaning crew discovered the mummified corpse

Meanwhile Mrs Scott said she didn’t realise the home was used as a hoarder house.

‘The garden was always over grown but there wasn’t always a lot of stuff in the yard – but then I have never been inside.’ 

As police sniffer dogs joined the search though the backyard of the Greendale St house, Mrs Scott said the police presence was unusual for the quiet suburb.

‘There are never police in this street, last time there was it was because he had died in his sleep,’ Mrs Scott said. 

‘All this business really has you wondering what the hell has happened in the house,’ she said.

Before the cleaners arrived to tidy up the home recently the great grandmother was preparing to call the council as the overgrowth was out of control.

‘A few years ago he put all the barbed wire up to stop the shrubs from growing – but it only slowed them down.’    

Local police are being assisted by detectives from the State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad.  

Officers from North Shore Police Area Command (pictured) established a crime scene which continues to be forensically examined

Officers from North Shore Police Area Command (pictured) established a crime scene which continues to be forensically examined

Local police are being assisted by detectives from the State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad

Police urge with information in relation to this incident to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000

Police urge with information in relation to this incident to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000



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