State Crime Lab to rush ID of body found in El Dorado creek

The id of an individual who was discovered lifeless in a creek late final month might be confirmed before investigators with the El Dorado Police Division initially thought.

The physique was recovered from a creek within the space of Detroit Avenue and New York Road on March 24.

Capt. Scott Harwell, of the division’s felony investigative division, mentioned the physique, which seemed to be that of a male, was badly decomposed and will have been within the water for a while.

The physique was despatched to the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory in Little Rock for a medical examination, which can embrace DNA testing.

Harwell initially mentioned it may take six to eight weeks for the crime lab to finish the post-mortem and ship the outcomes.

He has since mentioned the crime lab has agreed to place a rush on the method.

“The physique was so badly broken, it was unattainable to do any visible ID, so the crime lab will course of it and transfer it to the entrance of the road,” Harwell mentioned.

The outcomes of the medical examination might be accessible inside two weeks, he added, noting that the post-mortem may also assist decide the trigger and method of demise and different particulars.

A person who was strolling his canine by way of the world noticed what seemed to be a physique within the creek on the east facet of Detroit Avenue and known as 911, police mentioned.

Harwell famous that heavy rains that had drenched the town earlier within the week brought about the creek to swell and despatched robust currents dashing by way of the world — which probably uncovered the physique.

“At this level, we will not inform if it is a murder or what,” he mentioned. “The physique was in fairly tough form. These are issues that we’re hoping the crime lab will inform us.”