The shocking find was made after a severe storm flooded his old apartment, forcing emergency workers to check the source of water leakage.
The deceased, identified by neighbours as Antonio, was a retired builder and father of two. He had been living alone since separating from his wife many years ago.
According to police reports, his remains were found inside his top-floor apartment, which had not been opened in over a decade.
The discovery happened when an elderly woman living below Antonio’s flat noticed water leaking from her ceiling and alerted authorities.
When firefighters arrived, they broke into his apartment only to find human bones scattered across different rooms.
Some of the remains were in the bedroom, while others were found in the living area. Investigators believe pigeons that had nested in the abandoned home might have scattered the bones over time.
A police officer involved in the case said that the body could have remained undiscovered for many more years if not for the storm.
The apartment showed signs of long-term neglect — broken windows, dust-covered furniture, and piles of old mail. Neighbours said they last saw Antonio around 2010.
Most assumed he had moved into a retirement home because his bills and pension payments continued as usual.
Authorities later learned that all his expenses were automatically paid from his bank account, which explained why no one raised alarm about his disappearance.
The remains have been taken to the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Valencia for examination to determine the exact cause and time of death.
Police are treating the case as a natural death for now, but are keeping all possibilities open until forensic results are released.
Residents in the area were left stunned by the discovery.
One neighbour described Antonio as “a quiet man who mostly kept to himself,” adding that his sudden disappearance never seemed suspicious because “everything in his house looked normal from outside.”
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