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2 Bodies Found In 8 Months At Tenderloin Hotel Putting Residents On Edge

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- Two deaths at a San Francisco Tenderloin hotel -- one which went unreported for nearly 60 days -- is sparking fear among residents.

Sheldon Smith, 48, was found dead from blunt force trauma last Thursday inside his room at the Crosby Hotel on O'Farrell St. His death was reported within 24 hours, according to Episcopal Community Services Executive Director Ken Reggio.

But in April, 56-year-old Julie Mann's decomposing body was discovered in her room -- 57 days later.

Reggio told CBS San Francisco his staff at Episcopal Community Services, which runs 10 San Francisco housing sites for the formerly homeless, followed policy and performed two welfare checks for Mann in February when she was first reported missing. Two employees checked under the bed, inside closets and in the bathroom, but found no one. They returned mid-March before posting a notice to vacate unit.

It wasn't until after his staff filed a missing person's report and called local jails, hospitals and morgues that she was found decomposing underneath clothes and newspapers on April 17, according to Reggio.

"It's a little astounding to me, even at this moment," Reggio said, adding that although the non-profit finds deceased people in their rooms from time to time, there's never been a case like this in their 20 year history.

"We really do a lot of things right," he said. "This is the one where we shouldn't have missed the clues."

Among the hints was the intense odor that residents had been complaining about for days.

The residents of this 215-unit Single Resident Occupancy hotel are upset and seeking answers.

Reggio said he understands their anger. "Our job is to support them," he said. "We care deeply about their well-being and we let them down, but it's a unique situation and we can promise it will never happen again."

Reggio said Mann's death has not been treated as a homicide. He added that police are currently investigating Smith's death as suspicious.

An email to the San Francisco Police Department regarding both incidents had not been returned as of Tuesday afternoon.

Nicole Jones is a digital producer for CBS San Francisco. Follow her musings @nicjonestweets

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