Coroner IDs man whose body was found by excavation crews in Dayton

Dayton police officers were dispatched after 11:30 a.m. to 1323 Huffman Ave., near Wright Brothers Middle School, for a report of a body.

“Once on scene (police) were notified that there were crews excavating a torn-down house that had been set on fire,” Dayton police Lt. Steven Bauer said. “During the excavation, a body was found in the basement.”

The razed house by Seminary Avenue was the site of a Nov. 29, 2023, fire, said Dayton Fire Department Assistant Chief Brad French.

It is not clear when Henson was last known to be alive, whether there are signs of foul play nor whether Henson was at the house during the fire.

“It is too early in the investigation to be able to definitively answer those questions,” said James Rider, Dayton police spokesman.

Credit: Marshall Gorby

Credit: Marshall Gorby

The house was vacant, boarded and had no electric or natural gas, fire department District Chief David Grubb said.

“They arrived and found a boarded-up house with heavy fire throughout,” he said. “As we arrived, the second floor inside collapsed.”

An emergency demolition was ordered for the building after the fire was put out due to the extent of damage and the danger of additional collapse, French said.

Henson’s death remains under investigation by Dayton Fire Department’s Fire Investigations Unit, Dayton Police Department’s Homicide Unit and the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office.