The body of a man has been found in a wooded area of Abbotsford that appears to be a makeshift camp.
Today (Friday) at 3:10 pm, a patrol officer from the Abbotsford Police Department located a dead person near Cardinal Avenue and Curlew Drive in West Abbotsford.
The site is north of Highway 1, just east of the Highstreet shopping complex.
Police said the deceased had been there for some time and was located in an area that appeared to be a makeshift camp. A News reporter observed the the site was behind a hedge, in an undeveloped field directly across from the shopping centre. A blue tarp, metal frame, garbage, a bike and other items were found in the secluded camp area.
The APD major crimes unit investigated the scene this along with the coroner this afternoon and evening, and indicated it will require forensics and an autopsy to ultimately determine cause of death.
Police on the scene say the body was difficult to identify because it had been exposed to the elements for some time, although they're not yet able to determine for how long.
Police believe the deceased was the only occupant of the camp. A wallet with ID was found in the camp, and police currently suspect it belonged to the deceased. The man it identifies was known to police but had no criminal record, so a fingerprint search would not be able to confirm identification, police on the scene said. Other methods, such as dental records, can be used to confirm identity.
The man identified by the wallet had not been reported missing, police said, and his identity is not yet being released.
