An unidentified body found under suspicious circumstances near a popular recreation area July 4 is being treated as a homicide, even as investigators are still trying to identify the man.
The body is believed to be that of an elderly male and was found wrapped in a tarp at the Mirror Lake Picnic and Fishing Site near the base of Medicine Bow Peak, according to a Tuesday statement from the Albany Sheriff’s Office.
There were no identifying markings on the man, who’s being referred to as “John Doe” until an identification can be made through the use of fingerprints, DNA and/or dental records.
Albany County Sheriff Aaron Appelhans did not immediately return a request for comment by the time this story was published.
“It is with a heavy heart that we acknowledge the suspicious nature of John Doe’s passing,” he says in the release, noting that it’s an ongoing investigation.
The discovery of the body Thursday shut down the popular Snow Range site for two days as law enforcement investigated the scene.
The agency is asking anyone with information about the incident to call the non-emergency dispatch line at 307-721-2526 and request to speak to the detective.
Jen Kocher can be reached at jen@cowboystatedaily.com.
