Stench returns near Cleveland house that had 11 bodies

CLEVELAND (AP) — A stench around the home of a suspected serial killer returned stronger than ever today as police searched the house next door for more bodies and carried out bags of evidence.

“It’s like it got worse,” said 22-year-old neighbor Terrance Johnson. “It smells bad in the air, like death.”

Four plainclothes officers carried bags of evidence from the house next door to Anthony Sowell’s early this afternoon, but police did not indicate what had been removed. The red-painted house next to Sowell’s appeared to be abandoned but in good shape, aside from a broken porch railing.

The 50-year-old Sowell has been charged with five counts of aggravated murder. He was indicted Monday on one count of attempted murder, two counts of rape, two counts of kidnapping and two counts of felonious assault in a reported attack Sept. 22 that led to the search of his home.

The east-side neighborhood had reeked off and on for several years, and residents had blamed the odor on a broken sewer or a nearby sausage shop. Now most think the smell came from decomposing bodies.