Man's body found in car trunk in Tampa

By Jessica Vander Velde, Times Staff Writer
In print: Sunday, May 4, 2008

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TAMPA — Corey G. Bowden, 21, said he was going out to a club Friday night. Saturday, his body was found in the trunk of his Ford Crown Victoria.

Police received a call just after 6 a.m. A man had seen feet sticking out of a car trunk at Grande Oaks Apartments.

Investigators found no signs of trauma, said police Lt. Ron McMullen. An autopsy was done Saturday and the results were pending, the Medical Examiner's Office said.

A toxicology scan was run, but there was no immediate suspicion of a drug overdose, McMullen said.

Relatives told police that Bowden wasn't a drug user, and Florida Department of Law Enforcement files list no adult arrest record.

Bowden's relatives told police he left for a club Friday night but they weren't sure where he went or if he went with friends, McMullen said.

Police have no suspects, but they're treating the death as a homicide.

Relatives and neighbors gathered outside the apartment at 2604 E Hanna Road as police investigated.

Two of Bowden's aunts said he was a good man who lived with and cared for his grandmother in Tampa for the past year.

"He thought the world of her," said Eyvette Lewis, one of his aunts.

He had recently moved into Grande Oaks Apartments with his mother, Elizabeth Bowden.

"He was just naive to the world," Lewis said. "I can honestly say he was a good kid."

She paused and wiped away tears. "He's my baby," she said.

Elizabeth Bowden was taking the news of her son's death hard, said Debra Simmons, another aunt. "He was her only son."

Elizabeth Bowden declined to comment, only saying "(police) don't know anything, and we don't know anything."

Some neighbors were concerned because of the lack of suspects or a cause of death.

Lisa Hale said she's going to be more careful when she leaves for work at night.

"With no trauma to the body, you don't know what really happened," she said.

Times researcher John Martin contributed to this report. Jessica Vander Velde can be reached at jvandervelde@sptimes.com or (813) 661-2443.