Investigators suspect foul play in found body

EMMETT TOWNSHIP, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - Police in Emmett Township are wondering whether a body found by a roadside was a victim of foul play.

Public Safety investigators were called to an area near South Raymond Road and G Drive north late Sunday evening.

A man had called the police after he found a naked body in tall weeds by the road, along with a motorcycle. Emmett Township Public Safety are still waiting for a positive ID, but believe that could be Travis Bell, a man who's been missing for months.

Investigators from ETPS had hoped that an autopsy could give them clues, but the autopsy proved inconclusive due to the extent of decomposition the body had undergone. The body will now go to a forensic anthropologist and investigators are hoping to get some answers, even as more questions arise.

A body in long weeds, along with a wrecked motorcycle; common sense would say traffic accident, but Emmett Township Police are thinking differently.

"There were things, the way the scene was that threw some questions in our mind," said Lt. Tony Giegle of Emmett Township Public Safety, "and we need to thoroughly look into those."

When ETPS got the call Sunday evening, detectives spent hours at the crime scene trying to piece together what happened to a badly decomposed body.

Investigators told Newschannel 3 that the body's condition and its position were not consistent with a traffic accident, so foul play could be involved.

The man who found the body told Newschannel 3 that the body had no clothes on it, and was completely naked.

Using ID and the motorcycle registration, investigators think they know the victim's name, but want an ironclad, medical ID.

"We're going to wait until we have some dental records, possibly some DNA results, something that we can positively say this is Travis Bell," said Lt. Giegle, "until that time though, we're keeping an open mind.

Detectives do have strong reason to believe the body is that of Travis Bell, who's bee missing since August 18^th, but are waiting for complete confirmation.

Emmett Township Police do believe that the death is suspicious and is asking anyone with information to call them and share what they know.