More remains from homicide victim found in new locale in Minneapolis, police say

More remains from a 36-year-old man who was dismembered were found Tuesday morning along a popular jogging path in south Minneapolis, more than 3 miles from where other body parts were discovered last week.

The latest find added to a grisly puzzle for detectives investigating the death of Adam Richard Johnson of Minneapolis.

A passerby called 911 after spotting the remains about 6:45 a.m. on or near a bench Tuesday at E. Franklin Avenue and West River Parkway along the Mississippi River.

Homicide detectives and evidence technicians from the Police Department's crime lab spent the morning searching a nearby path, popular among bicyclists and runners, for clues about how the remains ended up there.

Police spokesman John Elder has divulged little about the case generally but did say, "We have not recovered the body as a whole."

He declined to say if anything was discovered along with the remains. Police previously said that Johnson was the victim of a homicide that occurred recently. But otherwise, they've said nothing about where he was killed or the circumstances of his death. No arrests have been announced.

The most recent find comes less than a week after a passerby called 911 Thursday to report the discovery of remains behind the Ukrainian American Community Center in the 300 block of NE. Main Street, not far from the river. Later that same day, police recovered more remains nearby at NE. 3rd and University avenues.

Family members have started an online fundraising campaign to help with funeral and other expenses. Johnson leaves behind two small children, according to relatives.

Johnson did not have a permanent address since moving out of a relative's home in Inver Grove Heights a couple of weeks ago, said Tracy Marsh, who is married to his great-uncle and is acting as a family spokeswoman.

"There is no significance there" in Johnson's life to the locations where his remains were found, she said.

One of Johnson's Facebook pages features him posing with a small boy, along with a multitude of selfies and inspirational quotes.

"Appreciating beauty. Relinquishing falling and just being about doing," he wrote April 5. "Flying throughout within and never knowing none to be without 1 Love."

In another, he lamented having depression but attempted to stay positive: "You reading this, you are awesome and loveable so let none say otherwise!"

Marsh said Johnson grew up in Bloomington and Minneapolis and struggled with mental illness and substance abuse for much of his life. She said his mother in Utah was arranging for him to move there and enter treatment. But now his mother is in Minnesota dealing with her son's death, she said.

Libor Jany • 612-673-4064

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482