COLONIAL HEIGHTS, Va. -- Officers discovered a body under a tarp in the woods in a Colonial Heights neighborhood Wednesday afternoon, according to authorities.
Officers responded at 1 p.m. to the 1300 Block of Yacht Basin Drive, which is not far from the Appomattox River, after a report by a citizen about possible human remains in the wood line, according to Colonial Heights Police.
CBS 6 Senior Reporter Wayne Covil said a neighbor's friend reported seeing a tarp in the woods for a couple of days.
When that man went to investigate in the normally quiet Mount Pleasant neighborhood, he made a gruesome discovery.
"When he lifted that tarp up, he found a body underneath," Covil said.
Officers said the body had been in the woods for "at least several weeks."
Police said the victim's body was taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for "further examination."
SCENE VIDEO: Police find body under tarp in Colonial Heights
Additionally, Hopewell Police and Petersburg Police detectives responded to see if they recognized the person.
Officers spent the afternoon canvassing the neighborhood asking if anyone had seen anything suspicious. They also sought neighbors’ doorbell camera footage, which could end up being a critical clue in the case.
“It was a shock because I was raking leaves this morning, along these street there," Larry Strum, who lives not far from where the body was found, said. "And my neighbor behind me, he was doing something and he's the one that actually found the body."
The area where the body was found is frequented by walkers and people walking their dogs.
"I really think it’s sad," Dawn Henriksen said. "Hopefully nobody did anything to him. But the biggest thing — did they freeze to death out there?"
Anyone with information about the incident was asked to call Sgt. A. Brandeberry at 804-520-9327 or brandeberrya@colonialheightsva.gov. Tips can also be sent to the Chesterfield/Colonial Heights Crime Solvers at 804-748-0660 or by using the P3 tips app.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
