The death of Napoleon A. Serrano, a 33-year-old Seattle man, whose body was found inside a car on June 24 remains a mystery.
The Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office finished an autopsy Monday but there were no obvious reasons for the man’s death.
Investigators are awaiting the results of toxicology tests, which can take up to two weeks, to determine the cause of death.
A woman found the body face down in the backseat of a BMW at about 10:30 a.m. outside her house in the 5800 block of 208th Street SW. She didn’t recognize the car.
Lynnwood Police are following several leads, but have not reached any conclusions.
“We are talking to a lot of people who knew the deceased,” detective Beth Post said. “Family and friends were surprised at his death.”
The discovery rattled neighbors in what they describe as a quiet neighborhood. Several neighbors said their most significant concern to date has been speeding along 208th street.
“This is a pretty good neighborhood, and to find this situation is scary, especially since I have four kids,” neighbor Joanne Malpica said.
There is enough evidence to suggest there is no immediate threat to the neighborhood, detective Post said. The evidence also suggests that the man did not die on that street.
The owner of the vehicle, who lives in South County, believed the car was being repaired, according to Shannon Sessions, a Lynnwood Police spokeswoman. The owner also told police he knew the man.
Police believe the car had been there overnight. Police found evidence inside the car but declined to discuss those items. The car’s windows were open slightly and the doors were unlocked.
“We have reason to believe that the body was driven there,” said detective Beth Post.
Malpica said she’ll think twice about keeping her windows cracked open at night, which has been her custom during the summer heat.
“It is scary,” she said. “You don’t know what happened.”
Anyone with information about the man is asked to call the Lynnwood Police Department at 425-775-1976.
Lynnwood Enterprise reporter Jenny Lynn Zappala and Herald Reporter Diana Hefley contributed to this story.
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