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Why it took 383 days to find a man dead in his own living room

9Wants to Know examined records to investigate why it took more than a year to find a missing man's body in his own living room.

Jeremy Jojola, Katie Wilcox

Published: 5:34 PM CDT May 22, 2018
Updated: 3:56 PM CDT May 23, 2018

A neighbor’s call to 911 started the investigation into the whereabouts of 68-year-old Charles Frary -- or Chuck, as his family knew him.

Ten days after that 911 call, Chuck’s own children filed a missing persons report.

But the effort to find the missing man dragged on for more than a year in the midst of miscommunication between city agencies and a lack of preparedness to handle what they describe as Denver's worst hoarding case on record.

The search for Chuck never extended far from his home. Turns out, it didn’t need to: 383 days after that neighbor’s call for help, Chuck’s remains were discovered in his living room.

His autopsy revealed his body had mummified. He was likely dead in his home all along.

9Wants to Know’s investigation “BLAME: Lost at Home” follows the paths police and residential health inspectors took -- and didn’t take -- when searching for Chuck.

They repeatedly delayed the search, citing a lack of proper protective gear that was not ordered for 12 months after police first entered the home, according to city records.

9Wants to Know learned of additional details from neighbors and family members that apparently went overlooked by police investigators -- details that Chuck’s children feel could have provided insight into how their father became lost at home.

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