Jail work crew finds body in Missouri ditch

ST. JOSEPH – Northwest Missouri authorities are trying to identify a body found in a drainage ditch by a prison work crew.

The Buchanan County crew found the body in a drainage tube Monday while doing trash pickup near Interstate 229 in southern St. Joseph.

The St. Joseph News-Press reports a jail prisoner told Sheriff’s deputy Matthew Thornton the crew had found human remains in a culvert used for drainage underneath the interstate.

The county medical examiner said an autopsy will be performed in Kansas City to determine the cause of death and identification.

This story was originally published December 2, 2014 at 8:06 AM with the headline "Jail work crew finds body in Missouri ditch."