Tenants: Stench of Death Makes St. Louis Complex 'Unlivable'

We've seen some pretty bad things drive tenants out of their apartments and homes -- sewage leaks, mold, rodents and bedbugs -- but this case is easily one of the most morbid. Residents of a St. Louis, Mo., apartment complex are in an "unlivable" situation due to the strong, putrid smell of a decaying body permeating the property.

St. Louis TV station KMOV-4 reports that police found the source of the lingering stench: A man, found dead in one of the apartments, and that police confirm that he had been dead for at least three weeks.

Residents of Canyon Creek Apartments say that the stench remaining after the removal of the body has spread across the complex and has brought in flies. According to crime scene cleanup firm Bio Ops, the decaying body smell can seep into wood, brick and metal -- and if left untreated, can last indefinitely. "It's pretty bad, you got the odor in your clothes and hair. You're licking and smelling it," neighbor Tom Shaeffer told the TV station.

Though the owner of the apartment complex confirms that there have been cleanup efforts, with more to come, residents say that they can't take it much longer and want to move. Residents tell KMOV-4 that they are concerned that if they do move they will be charged a transfer fee and a fee for breaking the lease.