A search warrant sheds light on an investigation on Leeway Drive

ABC 17 News is continuing to learn more about the death of a man whose body was found on Leeway Drive Monday night.

According to court documents, Steven Summa was found dead inside his apartment Monday night. Police said Summa was in the early stages of decomposition and had been dead for several days.

Columbia police obtained a search warrant around 8:30 p.m. Monday night to search the home. According to the search warrant that ABC 17 News obtained, a police detective for the Columbia Police Department had reason to believe that certain evidence inside the home could have led to murder.

The detective said the body was, “situated in an unusual manner that is inconsistent with natural or accidental death.”

Detectives also said they found blood several feet from the body and it appeared that someone attempted to clean it up.

The Columbia Police Department is still waiting for the toxicology results.

In an email response, Officer Latisha Stroer told ABC 17 News that the search warrant was done prior to the autopsy results, and that the Boone County medical examiner would determine the cause of death.

Deborah Berardi is charged with abandoning a corpse without notifying authorities. Berardi was scheduled to appear in court Thursday.