Decomposed body of man found near Santa Cruz police station

Santa Cruz police have launched an investigation after a fully decomposed male body was found in a remote wooded area near the Santa Cruz police station.

TVJ News understands the remains were discovered around 8:00 on Sunday morning. Someone in the area had gone into the bush, near posts along the route, before noticing what appeared to be a body and contacting the police.

Officers responded to the scene to examine the find. Those present said that on closer inspection it became clear the remains were human, and that of a man.

There was early uncertainty about what had been found, with some at the location wondering whether animals or other factors might have affected how the body looked. One person said they initially thought it might have been a pile of rats or a dead rat, before the discovery was confirmed as human remains.

The Santa Cruz police investigation is continuing as officers work to establish the identity of the deceased and the circumstances surrounding the death.