Hikers find man dead near school in Mesa

A man was found dead Wednesday in an open area near the elementary school in Mesa.

Franklin County sheriff’s deputies responded to reports about 11:30 a.m. of a body, and found a man thought to be in his 20s or 30s, said Undersheriff Dan McCary.

The body, which could not be identified due to decomposition, was found in a park near the elementary school while a family was hiking, said Candice Hermanson, Franklin County chief deputy coroner.

An autopsy is pending while coroners reach out to a pathologist. The body will be taken to Lourdes Medical Center in Pasco for X-rays.

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This story was originally published August 24, 2016 at 6:04 PM with the headline "Hikers find man dead near school in Mesa."