Remains of missing Hazel Park man found by own family

HAZEL PARK, Mich. - A Hazel Park family searching for a missing loved one learned his remains had been found.

Jacob Gasperoni had been missing for more than a month and his family, which found out that the body they discovered Sunday was confirmed to be his on Monday by police.

"We did what we said we were going to do," said Samantha Press, a cousin of Gasperoni. "Which was bring him home."

The family of Gasperoni, 27, has spent the last 40 days wondering and waiting before finding him.

"It's, I can't describe it, when you're looking for a dead relative," Press said.

Handing out flyers for weeks and searching areas Gasperoni would frequent, they say he was last heard from Oct. 6. He was last seen the day after, catching a bus on Eight Mile.

The family received a tip Sunday leading them to spend hours checking homes and backyards, block after block. Until they discovered a badly decomposed body with its head detached, wrapped in a blanket.

Calling police, Press says she couldn't look.

"It was something they said will haunt them for a long time," she said.

Identifying the body Monday, Press says her family recognized some of the clothing Gasperoni was last seen wearing along with other identifiers.

Press said Gasperoni was known to use drugs but they say he was working to get his life back on track after getting a job at a roofing company.

"Everybody makes mistakes," Press said. "We all loved you Jacob."

As this family has its answer, they didn't want, but needed, they are now praying for others experiencing the same thing.

"Don't ever quit, don't give up," Press said. "They are waiting to be found."