INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Deputies are investigating after a passerby found the body of an unidentified 30-year-old man in a wooded area Thursday afternoon.
A woman called deputies about 4 p.m. Thursday to report the discovery of the body in the 3100 block of 45th Street, across the street from Smith’s Grocery Store, Indian River County Sheriff’s Detective Michael Dilks said. Dilks said there were no signs of obvious injuries.
Dilks said drug paraphernalia was found at the scene, but could not release further details. Deputies are investigating whether drugs were involved in the man’s death.
Dilks said the man worked at a car wash on the corner of 28th Court and 45th Street.
@IRCSheriff detectives investigating body located in wooded area near 45th street and 32nd Avenue in Gifford. Call of male subject in bushes came in at 4:17pm. More info released as it comes available
— IRCSheriff (@IRCSheriff) April 18, 2019
Dilks said the man, who was homeless, was known to deputies as a drug user. The area where the man’s body was found was frequented often by the homeless as a place to sleep and use narcotics.
An autopsy will be conducted to determine a cause of death, Dilks said.
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The man’s name was expected to be released late Thursday.
Photos by Nick Samuel
This story will be updated.