Authorities in the western city of İzmir are baffled how a body of a man, presumed to have died five years ago, went undetected for years before it was discovered in an unused elevator.

The body of the unidentified man was found on Monday by a painter working on a staircase near the elevator, which was shut down 10 years ago, inside a multi-story parking lot. The parking lot is located in a busy district of İzmir and was open around the clock before it was shut down for renovation three months ago.

What adds to the mystery is that the man had in his pockets a large wad of Turkish lira removed from circulation 15 years ago.

Eyewitnesses said the body was desiccated when it was found with little flesh remained in the body. An eyewitness said the body was partly missing a foot, probably eaten by rats.