Before the police were called, the apartment maintenance guys with their cocksure bravado said they'd check it out.
Let me tell you something. When they opened the door to the apartment, you imagine a swan dive onto concrete face first. I know for one thing that my bedroom and living room windows are parallel to the axis of the adjoining building, and that the distance from the adjacent apartment building entrance to my windows is at least 75 to 100 feet.
At about 8 A.M. that morning about 10 years ago, I was awakened by that stench, and as it became ever more overpowering, I realized I was going to hurl. I never made it to the toilette less than 20 feet away. After purging my stomach repeatedly (dry heaves and on just water) and wondering what in the world were these waves of stench that were making me hurl, I noticed what appeared to be every emergency personell vehicle and organization outside.
These guys were going into and out of the adjacent building with SCBA equipment. Moreover, they had these huge assed fans (5 feet wide) placed in the doorway.
A stroll down memory lane there.
It appears that the guy was despondant over not being able to rencile with his ex-wife and he just went off of the deep end. He was a decorated Vietnam vetran too.
As any combat vetran will tell you, there are certain smells that become seared into your memory. I know what death smells like. As an aside, I used to live by a slaughter-house and know that smell too, but it was never anything like that.
Stay well people. Watch out for the Algore, Hillaries of this world; that by far is more disgusting than anything I can tell you...
My line of sight out of my bedroom and living room windows are parallel to the axis of the adjoining building.
No personal experience myself, but those who do know say just that.