Dismembered Body Discovered During Welfare Check at Outer Mission Home

During a welfare check Monday on an elderly man who was reported missing in the Outer Mission, SFPD officers found dismembered human remains inside the man's home.

A police report suggests that there was reason to believe there were suspicious circumstances surrounding the possibly missing man, 73-year-old Benedict Ching, but the report does not elaborate. Those suspicious circumstances led to the welfare check at the home on Del Monte Street — which is just one block long — at 11:40 a.m. on Monday.

After the discovery of human remains, which the Associated Press reports were dismembered, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner was called. The Medical Examiner is now investigating to determine a cause of death and identify the remains.

The case is being investigated as a homicide, according to SFPD.

Anyone with possible information regarding the case is asked to call the SFPD Tip Line at 415-575-4444, or text a tip to TIP411 and begin the text message with SFPD. Tips can be made anonymously.