Asheville police investigating body found in creek off Depot Street in River Arts District

ASHEVILLE - Police are investigating a body that was found in a creek in a wooded area off the 400 block of Depot Street. 

Several officers were at the scene early on the afternoon of May 16, near a gas station in the River Arts District. 

"He's a young man," said Capt. Joe Silberman, who oversees the criminal investigations division at the department. "We've made a tentative identification. Of course we have to confirm that. We believe it's a young man who's relatively new to the area. So, we have to do a number of things to confirm it and then of course contact the next of kin and let them know."

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Police received a call about the body around 11:04 a.m. May 16, he said.

"The death is suspicious. That's just due to the nature of him not dying under some kind of care, and his age, a couple of other factors, the location he's found ... But there's no foul play suspected at this time," Silberman said.

Police were working to remove the body from the creek, and had already contacted the state medical examiner to determine a manner and cause of death, Silberman said.

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Detectives with the criminal investigations division, forensic technicians and patrol officers were at the scene, spokesperson Bill Davis said. 

This story will be updated.

Ryan Oehrli is the breaking news and social justice reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times. Email coehrli@citizentimes.com or call/text 252-944-6816 for tips.