CCSO: Body found in forest believed to be male

Detectives with the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office believe the human remains found in the Osceola National Forest on Tuesday afternoon are the remains of a ‘possibly light-skinned male,’ authorities announced Wednesday.

The CCSO remained tight-lipped regarding other details pertaining to the investigation Wednesday, but noted that the incident is being investigated as a homicide.

The CCSO launched the investigation late Tuesday afternoon after a resident found human remains in the area of NE Gum Swamp Road, west of NE Range Road, around 3 p.m. on the side of the road in the national forest.

While closer examination of the body led detectives to believe the victim is “possibly a light-skinned male,” an age could not be determined Wednesday “due to the condition of the body,” according to the CCSO.

The body was taken to the Medical Examiner’s Office in Jacksonville, where authorities hope to learn more information about the victim.

The CCSO had personnel at the scene overnight on Tuesday night and through Wednesday afternoon as they collected evidence.

“The scene was cleared around 1:30 p.m. this afternoon,” Sgt. Steven Khachigan, a CCSO public information officer, said Wednesday. “It (scene) was held overnight to preserve any evidence until it was finished being processed.”

Law enforcement officials, who originally labeled the find as a “suspicious death” and noted that foul play was expected, did not elaborate on their reasoning behind the “suspicious death” moniker, nor provided any explanations as to why foul play was suspected.

Although the body was discovered on Osceola National Forest property, the sheriff’s office is leading the investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to contact detectives at 386-758-1095 or through Crime Stoppers of Columbia County by calling 386-754-7099 or www.columbiacrimestoppers.net.