A badly decomposed body was found in the Tijuana River Channel near the U.S.-Mexico border and a homicide investigation was launched, authorities said Tuesday.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported to police an "obviously deceased" body in a hard-to-reach area on the United States side of the Tijuana River at about 1:30 p.m. Monday, the San Diego Police Department said.
The body was hard to access due to mud, water and other obstacles at the site, so the San Diego Fire & Rescue River Rescue team was called in to assist at around 5:30 p.m.
"The body was extremely decomposed and, at this point, age, race, gender, or any other identifying information remain unclear," SDPD Lt. Adam Sharki said.
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The San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office was called in to recover the body and determined the death did not seem natural, San Diego Officer John Buttle said. So, a homicide team was called in to investigate.
The cause of death has not yet been determined.
