Suspicious Death Investigated Behind Norwood Middle School

NORWOOD (CBS) - Investigators are trying to identify human remains found behind the Coakley Middle School in Norwood. The victim is believed to be an adult male who appears to have been badly beaten.

Investigators say a dog being walked was alerted to the wooded area that lines the property and the owner called police.

"The body appears to have suffered massive trauma. Identification will be difficult," said Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrissey. Investigators say it's likely this is not the murder scene but a dumping ground. "It is our belief based on what we've seen so far that the trauma the body has suffered did not occur here at the Coakley school but elsewhere," said Morrissey who's not even sure the victim was murdered in the town of Norwood.

Watch Update From DA Michael Morrissey

He says investigators need the public's help to find a second scene, the possible murder scene, by reporting whether they've noticed anything suspicious or evidence of trauma. How long the body has been at the scene is unclear, even the ethnicity of the victim is too difficult to determine yet.

Norwood Police Chief William Brooks hopes to have the remains removed by the morning and says school will be open. "There are no indications anything violent happened on school grounds so there's no reason to treat it any differently than any other school day."

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