A body was found mid morning on Monday just off a main thoroughfare in the city, according to Missoula Police Public Information Officer Travis Welsh.

“At about 10:55 a.m. 9-1-1 received a call from a citizen who reported finding a dead body in the back part of a property in the 3500 block of Brooks Street,” said Welsh. “When officers arrived, the body was located and based upon its condition, the body had been there for some time.”

Welsh said the investigation began when detectives arrived at the scene.

“Detectives were called to the scene and they are currently working on determining identification of the person,” he said. “The Deputy Coroner from the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office also responded and together will be trying to determine the cause and manner of death and the circumstances surrounding him being found there.”

Welsh said it was difficult to determine the gender of the victim.

“It appears to be a male at this point, but the body is in such a degree (of decomposition) that it appears to have been there for some while,” he said. “We can’t confirm anything at this point. Also, there appears to be no obvious cause of death, so our priority right now is recovery of the body and processing the scene and then trying to determining the identification.”

Missoula police and sheriff’s office personnel are working together on the investigation.

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