DA: Teen likely fell to death from jet

DA: Teen likely fell to death from jet

By Marie Szaniszlo & Joe Dwinell  |   Friday, December 10, 2010  |  http://www.bostonherald.com  |  Local Coverage

It appears a 16-year-old North Carolina boy found dead on a Milton lawn fell to his death from a jet that was preparing to land at Logan Airport, Norfolk District Attorney William Keating said tonight.

The body of 16-year-old Delvonte Tisdale of Charlotte was discovered Nov. 15 on the lawn of a posh Milton home at 9:30 p.m. That is about the time a neighbor heard a loud thud and college students driving by came upon his body, the DA said.

“He somehow hid himself in the wheel well of a commercial airliner,” said Keating. “It’s a major breach of airport security that seems to have occurred.”

Keating said he was making the announcement tonight — while forensic tests are still pending — to point out the “obvious safety ramifications.”

Keating said there was evidence of grease used in jets on Tisdale’s pants and there was hand prints in the wheel well of a jet that landed at Logan that night.

Two Nike sneakers and a red shirt, both belonging to Tisdale, were also found in Milton along the flight path of an inbound jet.

Keating said a neighbor heard “a loud crashing noise” at about 9 p.m. on Nov. 15 — the exact time a jet inbound for Charlotte was due to land. The DA also said an autopsy showed “trauma consistent with a fall from a significant height.”

Police said the teen had severe head trauma and his legs and arms were broken. Parts of his remains were found in two places on Brierbrook Street.

Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1302285